Recognition

Athena Fund’s success in Israel has generated great interest and media coverage worldwide, and various organizations are considering implementing our initiatives and insights in other countries.

Special Consultative Status to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

In 2018, Athena Fund was granted Special Consultative Status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE)

Athena Fund is a member of the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE), a leading global organization focused on open, remote, flexible and online education.

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

In 2021 Athena Fund took part in the yearly UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and hosted a special side event. Taking place online, the side event focused on the use of technology to teach special education students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Event participants included, among others: Uri Ben-Ari, President and Founder of Athena Fund; Prof. Amnon Shashua, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of OrCam Technologies; Noa Tishbi, author, actress and film producer; Yaffa Ben David, Secretary General of the Israel Teachers Union; and Major General (Res.) Eliezer Shkedy, former Commander of the Israeli Air Force.

Video with excerpted remarks by Uri Ben-Ari at the UN event

At the UN event, Uri Ben-Ari warned that many teachers around the world still do not use laptops for teaching. He called on governments to provide teachers with laptops, iPads and professional training, thereby giving them the opportunity to help their students – including those with special needs – maximize their potential and enjoy a better future. Ben-Ari noted that in special education, advanced technology not only serves as a means of teaching but also as a way to help special needs students communicate with their environment.

International Conferences

Ben-Ari has been invited to lecture on Athena Fund’s successful programs at several UN conferences on technology in education in Europe, Africa and China. In addition, he has been invited to speak at the Women’s Forum for the Economy & Society in Paris and at other international conferences.

Journal of World Education

Uri Ben-Ari was interviewed for a cover story in China’s Journal of World Education. The article was entitled "A Smart Classroom Needs Smart Teachers: Technological Development Advances Professional Development of Teachers."

Uri Ben-Ari on cover of Journal of World Education

Charles Chen Yidan Citation in Nikkei Asian Review

Charles Chen Yidan – a co-founder of Chinese Internet giant Tencent, a leading Chinese philanthropist, and the founder of the Yidan Prize Foundation that awards prizes in the field of education – mentioned Athena Fund in a Nikkei Asian Review article. Discussing needed changes in the world of education, Yidan cited Athena Fund’s initiatives as an example of successful implementation of advanced technology in education.

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