Seven Israeli teenagers have been selected from hundreds of candidates to join a first-of-its-kind international cybersecurity training program alongside peers from Greece and Cyprus, the Regional Cooperation Ministry announced on Wednesday.
The six-month program, conducted in partnership with the National Cyber Directorate and the Labor Ministry, is designed to foster regional cooperation through high-level cyber education and diplomacy training. It will be dedicated to the memory of Sgt. Uri Nehemia Ashkenazi, a 19-year-old IDF soldier killed in Gaza during the war. Ashkenazi was the son of Revital Ashkenazi, director of the Labor Ministry’s Youth Employment Initiative, one of the program’s key partners.
The initiative brings together seven youth each from Israel, Greece and Cyprus for intensive hands-on training in cybersecurity, a field Israeli officials describe as central to both national resilience and regional integration. The program is fully funded with a budget of approximately 300,000 shekels ($93,000), subsidized by the Israeli government.
Participants will train with CyberProAI, an Israeli company specializing in cybersecurity and AI-based education platforms. The curriculum includes instruction in detecting and mitigating cyber threats, using advanced simulation tools such as Cympire and Bina and real-world exercises in digital defense. In addition to technical skills, the program emphasizes global teamwork, cross-cultural communication, conflict resolution and building strategic partnerships.
As part of the program’s regional focus, the youth will participate in exchange visits to Greece and Cyprus, with participants from those countries visiting Israel in return. The initiative is being run in cooperation with the national cyber authorities of Greece (NCSA) and Cyprus (DSA).
Regional Cooperation Ministry Director General Gilad Shadmon Photo: Inbar MarmariRegional Cooperation Ministry Director General Gilad Shadmon said the program highlights Israel’s commitment to shaping a new generation of cyber leaders from across the region. “Youth from Israel's social and geographic periphery are not only the future generation of the workforce, they are Israel's new digital defense line, a force of knowledge and innovation that strengthens the country's position as a global cyber power,” he said. “This cohort, dedicated to Uri's memory, symbolizes exactly that, the ability to transform personal pain into regional hope and build a stronger, more secure future for all of us.”
Labor Ministry Director General Amir Medina called the initiative “a first-rate diplomatic move,” adding: “When it comes to employment, partnerships are essential for achieving goals, which is why I'm proud of this cybersecurity program that expresses our commitment to connecting worlds, between talented youth from different countries who speak the same language of knowledge.”
Revital Ashkenazi said her son’s vision of diplomacy and mutual understanding made the program a natural extension of his values. “My connection to this program was natural, because of my son Uri, who spoke all his life about diplomacy, about dialogue, and about the possibility of resolving conflicts through understanding rather than force. Even when he was a combat soldier, he believed we must continue to talk, cooperate, and build a shared future,” she said.
“That's exactly the spirit of this program, to teach youth from different countries to speak the language of connection, partnership, and hope. This is my way of continuing Uri's path, a path of faith in people, hope, and peace