Alarmed by the rising tide of antisemitism since October 7, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United States permanent delegation held a high-level discussion on educational policies aimed at curbing this scourge.
The World Jewish Congress, alongside UNESCO ambassadors from France, Germany, and Rwanda, the president of the French Jewish community, and other civil society groups, joined to tackle this pressing issue.
Ms. Audrey Azoulay, Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) addressed the surge of antisemitism and reaffirmed society’s collective commitment, including UNESCO’s, to combat it.
Mr. Douglas Emhoff, Second Gentleman of the United States, shared how the fight against antisemitism is deeply personal to him and called for cross-community coalitions to eradicate this hate.
Dr. Leon Saltiel, Director of Diplomacy and Representative at UNESCO for the World Jewish Congress, expressed the alarm of the Jewish world at the mainstreaming of antisemitism and called on governments and international organizations to counter this hatred. Following the meeting, Saltiel commended “the commitment of the Biden-Harris administration, and of UNESCO, in prioritizing the fight against antisemitism and expressing their solidarity with the Jewish community, which has been under great duress since October 7.”
Saltiel added, “Mr. Emhoff dedicating time to the fight against antisemitism while heading the U.S. Presidential Delegation to the Closing of the Paris Olympic Games demonstrates his personal commitment, and that of his government, in this critical moment. This collaborative effort further underscores the importance of a renewed United States presence at UNESCO, led by Ambassador Diesel O’Donnell.”
Ms. Courtney Diesel O’Donnell, U.S. Permanent Representative to UNESCO, who moderated the discussion, has made the fight against antisemitism and Holocaust denial a priority for the U.S. mission. Yonathan Arfi, president of the French Jewish community (CRIF) and a WJC vice president, detailed actions taken to confront antisemitism in France and emphasized the need to involve civil society and other allies in this fight.
The event also featured a discussion on the outcomes of the first U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism and the Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism, released last month by U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Deborah Lipstadt. Participants exchanged ideas on global action to strengthen whole-of-society responses to counter antisemitism, racism, and hate speech, and evaluated the adequacy of existing educational programs in addressing the rise in antisemitic hate speech and acts following the October 7 terrorist attacks. The World Jewish Congress has maintained a long-time partnership with UNESCO, working together to enhance educational programs and safeguard internet platforms from hate.
The full list of speakers at the event included:
- Mr. François Nkulikiyimfura, Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Rwanda to UNESCO;
- Ms. Kerstin Pürschel, Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Germany to UNESCO;
- Mr. Phillipe Franc, Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of France to UNESCO;
- Ms. Courtney Diesel O’Donnell, Ambassador, U.S. Permanent Delegate to UNESCO;
- Ms. Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education, UNESCO;
- Mr. Tad Stahnke, Director of Holocaust Denial and Antisemitism Program, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM);
- Dr. Leon Saltiel, Director of Diplomacy, Representative at UNESCO, at World Jewish Congress;
- Mr. Yonathan Arfi, President of the French Jewish Community (CRIF), WJC Vice President.
