Mayor Dave Cieslewicz returned Friday from his first trip to the Middle East where he attended a conference in Jerusalem with nearly 50 city leaders from around the world.

After receiving an invitation from Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski, Cieslewicz participated in the 25th annual Jerusalem Conference of Mayors from Oct. 13-17 — the first Madison mayor to participate.

“It was a once in a lifetime experience to be in Jerusalem, to meet with some of the world leaders and also meet with and talk with other mayors from around the world,” Cieslewicz said.

The mayor said a highlight of the trip for him was meeting Israeli President Shimon Peres, a Nobel Peace Prize winner who, according to Cieslewicz, has a tremendous presence.

“He spoke in very high-minded terms of how the world is changing and the need for peace,” Cieslewicz said. “He talked about how cities are important because they bring people together of different backgrounds.”

Cieslewicz said it was a remarkable experience to hear the world leader speak in person and be able to shake his hand.

The mayors at the conference also heard Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert speak about the current situation in the Middle East and efforts for peace. The current opposition leader gave his perspective on the current state of affairs as well.

“I certainly learned a lot about the situation in the Middle East, about Jerusalem’s history and the current political issues right now,” Cieslewicz said. “We toured the old city of Jerusalem, which is the history epicenter for the three different religions — Christianity, Judaism and Islam — and we got a tour with an archeologist who gave us incredible background.”

Cieslewicz said he also benefited from meeting with the other mayors at the conference.

“We got a chance to interact with each other as mayors … and we just got an opportunity to share experiences as well,” Cieslewicz said. “One thing specific I learned is that Jerusalem has a very well-developed high-tech and bio-tech industry.”

Cieslewicz said he would like to explore the possibility of collaborating with Israel in those industries and find a way to bridge Madison’s own tech industry with that of Jerusalem.

While at the conference, Cieslewicz also had the opportunity to meet with University of Wisconsin students who were currently studying abroad at the Hebrew University through the George Mosse exchange program. As part of a joint effort between UW’s history department and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, six UW graduate students are currently studying abroad in Jerusalem, and four students from the Hebrew University are currently studying at UW.

However, Cieslewicz said in general there are more Israeli students who come to Madison to study than UW students who study at the Hebrew University. According to John Tortorice, director of the George Mosse program at UW, 26 Israeli students studied at UW since the program’s birth in 2000, while only 22 Madison students have ventured to the Hebrew University.

Tortorice said graduate students in the humanities and social sciences who are interested in the program can find out more information at the Mosse program’s website or by contacting the history department.

“I certainly encourage anyone who is interested in that program to get involved,” Cieslewicz said. “It’s a tremendous experience.”

According to George Twigg, the mayor’s communications director, six U.S. mayors were among those receiving invitations this year, including the mayors of Providence, R.I.; Baton Rouge, La.; Dayton, Ohio; Cincinnati and Green Bay.