In a historic first, Israeli President Shimon Peres will visit San Francisco and the Silicon Valley over the next several days. It is the first time an incumbent Israeli president will visit the region.
Peres will visit the Bay Area from Sunday through Thursday on a trip focusing on innovation, with stops addressing tech industry leaders at Facebook and Google, among others.
At Facebook on Tuesday, Peres plans to launch an international Facebook page with the company’s CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg. The announcement will be followed by a special interview at Facebook that will be broadcast live through the social network’s streaming service, Facebook Live.
According to the Consulate General of Israel, Peres, a Nobel laureate, aims to connect with young people, especially those from Arab countries, to advance chances for peace in the Middle East.
That evening Peres is scheduled to address the public at San Francisco’s Temple Emanu-El, where he will be greeted by Gov. Jerry Brown and Mayor Ed Lee. The event is currently fully booked, according to organizers with the Jewish Community Relations Council.
Wednesday, Peres will speak at the Launch Conference, which attracts some 2,000 high-tech industry entrepreneurs and executives.
On his last day of his trip, Peres will meet with Google co-founder Sergey Brin and will tour the tech giant’s Silicon Valley headquarters.
Patricia Decker, Bay City News
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