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New campaign in Los Angeles: Live for Sderot
Israeli Consulate General, Israeli Leadership Club to launch PR campaign aimed at diverting global media's attention to distress of children living in rocket-battered city
WASHINGTON – The Israeli Consulate General in Los Angeles and the Israeli Leadership Club (ILC) on Tuesday launched the 'Live for Sderot' campaign' in the city.
As part of the campaign, El-Al Airlines will fly a delegation of 10 teenagers from Sderot to Los Angeles. The youths will visit campuses and schools throughout the city and share their experiences with the students.
The campaign is aimed at presenting the distress of the children living in the rocket-battered town of Sderot and breaking through the global media's disregard of the city, which is mostly mentioned only in relation to the distress of the Gaza Strip's residents.
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The selected teens will also enjoy a dreamlike tour of the city, with visits to Universal Studios, Disneyland and an NBA game. The delegation's stay in Los Angeles will be financed by the ILC.
A new website, www.live4sderot.org, will be launched as part of the campaign and will include information about Sderot. In addition, a video featuring Sderot's children and dealing with each person's right to live in peace has been posted on the YouTube website.
The campaign will reach its climax on February 26, when the Consulate General and the ILC will host a charity and solidarity concert for Sderot. The organizations seek to raise at least $1 million for the city's children.
The concert, which will include a performance by Israeli singer Ninet Tayeb and will be attended by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, will also launch the celebrations of the State of Israel's 60th anniversary in the city.
A Foreign Ministry official noted that "this activity is part of the Foreign Ministry's efforts to raise the world's awareness to the ongoing suffering of the residents of Sderot and Gaza vicinity communities.
"This effort is a key task of the Ministry's communications and PR department, which is holding a series of events and activities in this framework among the public and the media, focusing on the internet."
Roee Nahmias contributed to this report
