Under the banner - "Galilee Regional Development-A National Goal" the Galilee Conference was convened on Thursday June 16, 2005 at the ORT Braude College in Karmiel. The conference, which has been held now for the past three years, is a cooperative effort of ORT Braude College, the City of Karmiel, the Misgav Regional Council and Pittsburgh Pa, the region's partner community within the framework of Jewish Agency's Partnership 2000 Program. During the conference, the ORT Braude sponsored Galilee Research Institute was Inaugurated.

During the first part of the conference, Adi Eldar, the mayor of Karmiel emphasized the need for increased employment opportunities in the region that would attract new families. Erez Kriesler, the mayor of the Misgav Regional Council appealed to Ehud Olmert, the minister of Industry, Trade and Labor who attended the conference, "We have great human resources here! Over the past 25 years, we have made fantastic strides. When one looks ahead; however, I fear that the continuing cutbacks in the area of education and other areas as well, will erode our level of quality and excellence. At the same time, local municipalities are losing the ability to provide basic services to their residents, significantly harming the quality of life for area residents and reducing our attractiveness. This must end."   Dr. Shamariahu Rozner, the president of ORT Braude said he hoped the current conference would be a turning point in the Galilee's development and if the Council for Higher Education, as the agency charged with maintaining Israel's academic quality would approve the establishment of a university in the Galilee, this will be the start of a change in government priorities.

With the conclusion of the conference's opening session, the guests were invited to the opening ceremony of the Galilee Research Institute. The institute is the first of its kind in Israel; it will serve as a regional center for research and the gathering of information. The center is intended to coordinate and consolidate a wide variety of study and knowledge unique to the Galilee, focusing upon the implementation of research and the creation of a data bank where researchers, students and area residents can obtain a full range of informational materials pertaining to the region, in a variety of fields. These include areas such as government and regional development, demography and the society, education, industry and economic development, archeology and nature. The institute was established in cooperation with the University of Rochester, ORT Braude College, the Misgav Regional Council and the City of Karmiel as well as with the support of the region's partner community of Pittsburgh, Pa through the Jewish Agency sponsored Partnership 2000 program.

During the conference's second session participants were addressed by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Limor Livnat, the Minister of Education as well as producer and filmmaker Arnon Milchan who reiterated his prior announcement of a personal contribution of $100 million for the establishment of a university in the Galilee. In his remarks, the Prime Minister noted that the government would consider a proposed decision to reduce the cost of residential properties in peripheral regions of the country.