Being in the Room
Not every connection IBCA maintains comes from an event we've organised ourselves. Just as important is IBCA being present — and represented — wherever the relationship between Israel, Britain and the Commonwealth is being marked, discussed, or honoured by others. Sometimes that means a member of our executive standing at a memorial service; sometimes it means our chair sitting down with a newly arrived ambassador; sometimes it simply means showing up.
Where We've Shown Up
Members of our executive have represented IBCA at wreath-laying ceremonies marking moments of remembrance that matter deeply to the countries with whom we have close connections — standing in for the association wherever that presence counts, whether or not it makes it onto a stage.
We've also been present at royal and diplomatic occasions hosted by the British Embassy, and our Honorary Life President, Brenda Katten, has on several occasions interviewed newly arrived ambassadors for The Jerusalem Post, giving IBCA members, and Post readers more broadly, an early, direct introduction to the people representing their countries here. IBCA members have also sat in on talks and briefings elsewhere — on media coverage of Israel, among other subjects — simply to stay close to the conversation, even when we're not the ones hosting it.
Much of this contact happens quietly and doesn't make it onto a website at all. Not every conversation had or connection made, can or should be made public, but that doesn't make it any less real — and it's often where the relationship does its most important work.
Why This Matters to IBCA
Relationships aren't maintained only through events we run — they're maintained by showing up, in public and in private, whenever and wherever it counts. That work doesn't stop, and neither will we. As the situation around us keeps changing, being present — visibly and otherwise — is how IBCA stays able to make a real difference to the relationship between Israel, Britain and the Commonwealth, not just talk about it.