After Dinner Speakers: Shimon Peres, Martyn Lewis, Roy Walker

Shimon Peres was born in Poland in 1923 and immigrated to Israel with his family as a child. He studied at the Ben Shemen Agricultural School, and was one of the founders of Kibbutz Alumot in the Jordan Valley. In Israel's War of Independence, Mr. Peres was responsible for arms purchases and recruitment, and in 1948 was appointed head of the naval services. Mr. Peres has been a Member of the Knesset since 1959 and served as Deputy Minister of Defence in 1978, Mr. Peres was elected Vice-President of the Socialist International Party. In the National Unity government Shimon Peres served as Vice Premier and Minister of Finance. Mr. Peres began his second tenure as Israel's Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1992 and has written several books on Israels turbulent political history