Six months after the issue of drug use and misdemeanours by Israeli backpackers in India rocked the Knesset (Parliament), a project to improve the country's image is set to be launched, whereby young people will be encouraged to do voluntary social work in the South Asian country.
Israel's largest investment company, IDB, the largest health service network, Clalit Medical Organisation, and an NGO, Pirkey Refuah, have joined hands to fight Israel's negative image in India by coming up with the 'Peace Backpackers Project'.
The project is the brainchild of lawmaker Shlomo Breznitz, chairman of the India-Israel Parliamentary Friendship Group, who has established a charity together with former parliamentarian Eti Livni to manage and raise funds for the whole project.
Israeli youngsters specialising in various vocations will be encouraged to volunteer for a month at various educational institutions in Delhi, Goa, Manali and Dharamsala, which are frequented by the country's backpackers.
"The first group is likely to depart for India in November. It is expected that about 100 volunteers will join the project this year, which will gradually rise to 400 in three years time," a spokesman for Breznitz told PTI.
"The first 30 volunteers likely to leave for India in November are already undergoing preparations," chairman of Pirhey Refuah, Koby Monovich, told PTI.
Some 40,000 Israeli youngsters travel to India every year, most of them immediately after finishing their mandatory army service.
Earlier this year, the issue of inappropriate behaviour of young Israeli tourists during their stay in India was widely discussed in the local media before being taken up by the Knesset for discussion.
"Firstly, India is a country with a huge influence in the world. Secondly, I see it also as a missed opportunity for many of these youngsters in the prime of their lives," Breznitz earlier told PTI, underlining the importance of kickstarting such an initiative.
