The theme for this year’s event was ‘Innovation’. The morning assembly opened with a powerful and cutting-edge multimedia show – through a stunning technology of projection on live actors, the show presents Israel as a center of global innovation, and the local authorities as an integral part of the Start-Up Nation’s essence.

The festive noon event, with the title “Partners for Tomorrow Together”, opened with a moving monologue by a 4th grade girl who spoke about her expectations from the elected local leaders and about how she would like to see the future of her city. After that the great actor and comedian Asi Cohen came on stage in the character of Edi Kopel, the satiric mayor from the TV comedy show “Eretz Nehederet”.

The award ceremony featured a very touching address by Israel Prize recipient, bereaved mother and educator Miriam Peretz. Later on in the ceremony, with a message of unity and equality, the singer Idan Yaniv performed accompanied by a choir of religious and secular girls, as his grand piano is projected with images of different people representing the diversity of Israeli society: secular Jews, orthodox Jews, Arabs, immigrants, residents of the periphery and more. The event was directed by Shilo Gallay and Danny Casson.