Gideon Belete is a recent graduate of Tel Aviv University’s Lowy International School, Master of Security and Diplomacy. Through a unique Israeli lens, the program blends traditional approaches to international relations with modern concepts and critiques. Students explore topics ranging from cyber security to modern intelligence, refining skills necessary to become the next generation of diplomats and problem solvers.

For Gideon, studying Security and Diplomacy made perfect sense. Born in Toronto, Canada to Ethiopian Jewish parents and survivors of Operation Moses, Gideon developed a deep interest in his family’s story. Hearing first-hand about life in refugee camps and the devastation conflict brought to the Jews of Ethiopia left an indelible mark on Gideon. It also spurred a passion for global affairs, the Jewish State and the pursuit of building a peaceful world.

Guided by this purpose, Gideon became a Fellow at TAU’s Irwin Cotler Institute – Democracy, Human Rights and Justice  – during his time at TAU. Fellows explored concepts of democracy, human rights, discrimination and antisemitism while training in public speaking, workshop building and social justice advocacy from leading policymakers and professors.

Gideon is grateful to the Cotler family and their commitment to creating a more just and equitable world and hopes to continue the legacy of the Fellowship throughout his personal and professional life. The lessons of the classroom and the Fellowship paired with the experiences of life as a TAU student have shaped Gideon. Equipped with knowledge and know-how Gideon is driven by an insatiable appetite to become part of the solution to regional and global challenges