Members of the WJC Governing Board, Jewish community leaders, diplomats, and senior government officials responsible for combating antisemitism gathered at Geneva’s Intercontinental Hotel for a gala in celebration of 90 years since the organization’s founding. WJC President Ronald S. Lauder, together with WJC Governing Board Chair Mrs. Chella Safra and Mr. Sylvan Adams, president of the WJC-Israel Region, presented the WJC-Israel Resilience Award to the family of Ran Gvili, the final hostage held in Gaza following the October 7 terror attacks. Addressing the gathering, President of the Swiss Confederation H.E. Mr. Guy Parmelin reflected on his country’s historic role as a center of diplomacy and international cooperation, while welcoming the return of the World Jewish Congress to the city in which it was established in 1936.

Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Axel Springer SE, delivered a sweeping and uncompromising address, declaring that antisemitism has become a global ideological movement threatening not only Jewish communities, but the future of Western civilization itself. Döpfner condemned the worldwide surge in anti-Jewish hatred following the October 7 Hamas terror attacks and forcefully defended the idea of Zionism, democratic values, and Israel’s right to defend itself.

In his address, Amb. Ronald S. Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, drew direct parallels between the events which prompted the founding of the World Jewish Congress in Geneva in 1936 and the mounting global threats facing Jewish communities today. Lauder also called for a strategic shift within the Jewish world and Israel away from reactive public relations campaigns and toward investment in Jewish identity and education.

The WJC’s Governing Board and Executive Committee met to address rising violent antisemitism, largely attributed to Islamist extremism. Discussions focused on developing tactics to reinforce cooperation between Jewish communities and their respective national governments. The meeting in Geneva was the first led by Mrs. Chella Safra following her election as WJC’s Governing Board Chair during the organization’s 2025 Plenary Assembly in Jerusalem.

Jewish community leaders and members of the SECCA Network reconvened for a series of joint discussions. Dr. h.c. Katharina von Schnurbein, EU Commission Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism & Fostering Jewish, Dr. Claudio Lottenberg, WJC Commissioner for Combating Antisemitism, and Dr. Maram Stern, WJC Executive Vice President, delivered remarks highlighting the importance of uniting governments, multilateral institutions, and Jewish communal actors around a shared framework to strengthen responses to rising antisemitism and support Jewish life globally.

Alongside government officials, Jewish leaders from Germany and South Africa stressed the importance of sustained, structured relationships between Jewish communities and government institutions, and examined the gap between formal commitments and measurable outcomes on the ground. Speakers also explored how bilateral relations between nations can strengthen cross-border efforts to combat antisemitism.

Panel:
Dr. Felix Klein, Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight against Antisemitism.
Dr. Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany & vice president of the World Jewish Congress.
Prof. Karen Milner, National Chairperson of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) & vice president of the World Jewish Congress.

As antisemitism surges globally, Amb. Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, U.S. State Department Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, together with Amb. Fabiana Loguzzo, Special Representative of Argentina for the Fight against Antisemitism & IHRA’s 2026-27 Chair, and Mr. Fernando Lottenberg, Commissioner for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism, Organization of American States (OAS), spoke with WJC-Israel CEO Sara Friedman about what practical tools governments and international institutions are leveraging to reduce anti-Jewish hate across the Western Hemisphere.

In two separate panels, officials from various UN institutions and Geneva-based diplomats evaluated the effectiveness of international frameworks in combating antisemitism. While identifying persistent gaps, they explored pathways toward more concrete and measurable action.

Panel I:
Under-Secretary-General Miguel Ángel Moratinos, High Representative, United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and UN Focal Point on Antisemitism.
Amb. Antje Leendertse, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United Nations in Geneva.
Mrs. Gabriela Boiteux Pilná, Chargée d’Affaires, Permanent Mission of the Czech Republic to the United Nations in Geneva.
Prof. Ahmed Shaheed, former UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief.

Panel II:
Rabbi Andrew Baker, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Anti-Semitism, OSCE.
Ms. Irene Kitsou-Milonas, Special Representative to the Secretary General on antisemitism, anti-Muslim hatred and all forms of religious intolerance, Council of Europe.
Mr. Karel Fracapane, Team Leader on Memory and Non-Discrimination, UNESCO.

A roundtable discussion brought together Jewish community leaders to assess how geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have shaped Jewish life in their own countries since October 7th. The conversation explored challenges related to cultural exclusion, and highlighted the importance of sustained societal engagement as a tactic to confront antisemitism in public discourse.

Panel:
Mr. Yonathan Arfi, president of the Representative Council of the Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF) & vice president of the World Jewish Congress.
Ms. Nina Ofner Bokan, president of the Jewish Community of Montenegro & vice president of the World Jewish Congress.
Ms. Hanna Veiler, president of the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS). 

The session was moderated by Dr. h.c. Katharina von Schnurbein, Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life at the European Commission. An expert intervention was delivered by Dr. Jonathan Boyd, executive director of the Institute for Jewish Policy Research.

More than 30 Special Envoys and Coordinators Combating Antisemitism from over two dozen countries joined together in Geneva alongside the WJC gathering to reaffirm a united international front against antisemitism. Their joint declaration emphasized the urgent need for stronger enforcement, education, online accountability, and international cooperation amid escalating threats facing Jewish communities worldwide.