After he finished his tour of duty in Russia, Dan started a gymnastic project which was photographed. It was later featured in a photography exhibit at a museum in Moscow. Seeing him, as a diplomat, in famous places in Moscow and St. Petersburg, standing on his hands and then doing jumps and flips, was something out of the ordinary.
“I think in every place you are stationed, you always have to look at what matters to the people where you are; what they care about. You do a bit of analysis regarding those you are working with in order to gain relevance and to be noticed. Israel is a small country, even if we have 8 million people, and the competition is great. There are 100 cultural attaches in Moscow. We have small budgets, so you look for ways to bring very special things. And, if you yourself can do something special, you go for it.”
Dan explains the connection between gymnastics and diplomacy: “The Israeli Embassy said a diplomat has to be strong and flexible. So, I decided that whatever I do, I will try to be strong and flexible.”
After Moscow, Dan returned to the MFA in 2004, and for three years was the head of the literature department, promoting Israeli culture. Financially, the department helped to send authors, writers, and poets abroad to big events, as well as assisted book companies to publish Israeli authors. Through his work, Dan was able to show different sides of Israeli public diplomacy to the world.
“We arranged big Israeli booths at book fairs in Frankfurt, Bologna, London, and in many other places. Later, we also attended the Paris book fair where Israel was a guest of honor. We had 50 Israeli writers who were invited. The same is true in South America, in Guadalajara, where 40 writers went last year. And, the work continues.”
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ISRAEL'S DIRECTOR OF BALKAN STATES
MAYIM MAGAZINE