District Administrator Allgaier spoke of the "shared path of friendship and partnership" that Giora Salz has been on since his election at the end of 2012, first with Allgaier's predecessor Dr. Rainer Haas and then with himself. "It is very pleasant and fulfilling to walk this path with you and to keep moving forward!" said Allgaier in his laudatory speech. The head of the district administration looked back on the past ten years of friendship and partnership: "With courage, determination and sensitivity, you have made a significant contribution in this decade to keeping the partnership, which has officially existed since 1997, alive and developing it further through regular visits and personal contacts!" The renewal and reaffirmation of the partnership last year on the occasion of the 25th anniversary was a highlight in the partnership's history.
According to Allgaier, Giora Salz had always been very keen on youth encounters. But Salz had also promoted exchange in other areas, initiating and implementing projects, such as the cooperation agreement between the Ludwigsburg clinics and the ZIV Medical Center in Zfat, a musical exchange with the district youth orchestra of the Ludwigsburg Brass Band Association, the expansion of the four existing school partnerships by a fifth and, together with Claudia Rugart, President of the School Board, the initiation of the SCORA project ("Schools opposing Racism and Antisemitism"), in the context of which 15 other schools from the Stuttgart administrative district have found partner schools in Israel.
Giora Salz received the Medal of Merit during his official farewell visit as Chairman for his special services to German-Israeli relations and in particular to the partnership between the district of Ludwigsburg and the Upper Galilee region. "You have played a major role in making our partnership so special, unique, close and valuable!" said District Administrator Allgaier, who presented him with the award and congratulated him. After his predecessor Aharon Valency, Chairman Salz is only the second person from abroad to receive the district's highest honor.
District Administrator Allgaier then turned to Salz's colleague Dafna Abrahams: "You too have been committed to our partnership and friendship since 2012." Abrahams had "always worked with great joy and emphatic commitment for the close and lively connection between the Upper Galilee and the district of Ludwigsburg" and was "the heart and soul of the partnership". Abrahams would also be honored - also during her official farewell visit - for her special services to German-Israeli friendship and the partnership between the Upper Galilee and the district of Ludwigsburg, said District Administrator Allgaier. He presented her with the district's commemorative plaque and congratulated her.
District Administrator Allgaier combined his congratulations for Salz and Abrahams with the hope that they will continue to visit the district of Ludwigsburg as private individuals "to continue on the path of partnership and friendship".
