Ramon Foundation CEO Discusses Inspiring Israeli Youth to Dream Big

Gil Doron, CEO of the Ramon Foundation, spoke about the organization's mission to foster dreams and aspirations among Israeli children, inspired by the legacy of astronauts Ilan and Assaf Ramon and their mother Rona Ramon. The foundation uses space exploration as a tool for social change, reaching tens of thousands of children annually from all sectors of Israeli society. Doron explained that the foundation was born from a desire to encourage children to believe in themselves and pursue their ambitions, particularly in STEM fields.

Doron highlighted that many Israeli children have stopped dreaming of becoming astronauts, not due to laziness, but fear of failure and a sense of powerlessness. He attributes this to a 'complete realism' fostered by years of global pandemics, conflicts, and tragic events, leading youth to focus on the present rather than envisioning a future. The Ramon Foundation aims to counteract this by reigniting their 'right to dream' and demonstrating that ambitious goals are achievable.

The foundation's initiatives include programs like 'Team Air,' which mentors young women from southern Israel to pursue careers in aviation, and sending student experiments to the International Space Station. Doron emphasized the transformative power of these experiences, citing how seeing their experiments conducted by astronauts live can change a child's perspective and ignite a passion for science and technology.

Discussing the new era of space exploration driven by private companies like SpaceX, Doron noted that Israel possesses unique advantages in satellite technology due to its geopolitical situation, forcing innovation and efficiency. He called for a national 'space law' to regulate the burgeoning Israeli space industry and ensure the country doesn't miss out on future opportunities in space exploration and commercialization.