AI Month opened at HIT

A grand opening to AI week at HIT with a unique International Conference of Academic Leaders and Innovation Centers from Central Asia and the Balkans. 

Under the slogan "Let's Collaborate to Shape the Future of Innovation Together," HIT - Holon Institute of Technology opened its 4th annual conference of Euro-Asian and Balkan countries - HIT's partners ,in cooperation with the Israel MFA. 
Among the many guests from abroad, were foreign diplomats and researchers from Israel, university Presidents and Rectors from Kosovo, Azerbaijan, Serbia, Uzbekistan and others, who came for a joint discussion on how artificial intelligence is transforming education, science, healthcare and culture in their countries.

The conference was opened by Prof. Adir Pridor, Chairman of the Executive Committee, who suggested calling it by an original name ABC, where the letters represent the terms Advancement, Balance, and Convergence. According to him, all the discussions at the conference would address these issues, looking at the benefits of advancement and the convergence of multiple fields that establish its positive aspects, versus the dangers and imbalance it harbors. "In light of the AI revolution currently sweeping humanity, we must ensure a positive balance of AI. Convergence is what will ensure the required positive balance." The audience enthusiastically embraced the proposal, which clearly and understandably conveys the purpose of the entire conference and adopted it.

President of HIT, Prof. Eduard Yakubov said the institute is proud of its international connections with 140 academic institutions in 35 countries around the world. "We are pleased to welcome university presidents, academics and ambassadors from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kosovo and Serbia. I believe that one of the roles of academia is to create bridges of peace and understanding between peoples." Prof. Yakubov added that "after a difficult period of war and the rise of antisemitism in many countries, the fact that people from Muslim countries are also coming to HIT's international event testifies to the institute's standing among the international academic community."

The institute's CEO, Mr. Samuel Goldberg, expressed his confidence in the success of the joint meeting, noting that its fruits would be manifested in significant cooperation agreements.

Already on the first day of the conference, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between HIT and Fergana State University in Uzbekistan. The university was represented by its Rector, Prof. Bahodir Shermukhammadov, and the institute by Prof. Eduard Yakubov.

Following a series of short lectures delivered by some of the guests and hosts on topics related to Artificial Intelligence and its implications for various areas of life and academia, the attendees moved to the opening event of the exhibition "Green Cities and Smart Construction", showcasing outstanding projects by students from the School of Multidisciplinary Studies as the culmination of a course bearing the same name, led by the international architect Prof. Haim Zvi Dotan.

As part of the course, students discussed several issues related to the current era, such as: What will our futuristic lives be like in a warming world? What are sustainable planning and engineering? What are sustainable ecological artificial intelligence and robotics? How do we plan, build and maintain healthy, green cities, buildings and infrastructure? And more. 

"Healthy green cities and smart construction is a critical topic in the 21st century, characterized by global climate warming, population growth and massive transportation problems," says Prof. Haim Zvi Dotan. "Cities in Israel and around the world are characterized by problems of high population density, traffic jams and climate pollution, and it's interesting to see how students propose solutions to some of these problems."

The conference guests will stay in the country for a week, during which they will tour several sites and hold additional meetings and workshops about artificial intelligence.

Our Guests of Honor included:

• Mrs. Shapir Ben Naftaly Reut, Director of MFA for Euro Asia and Caucasus Dept., 
• Prof. Fariz Mammadov- Vice Rector Azerbaijan Technical University
• H.E. Jahongir Aminov, Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the State of Israel
• Mr. Alexander Nicolitch, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Serbia to Isarel
• Mr. Michael Suttovskii - Deputy Mayor of Holon 
• H.E. Daulet Yemberdiyev, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the State of Israel
• Mrs. Ines Demiri, Chargé d'affaires of Kosovo to the State of Israel.
• Prof. Bahodir Shermukhammadov - Rector of Fergana State University, Uzbekistan