Combatting Antisemitism: Challenges and Opportunities

Antisemitism is toxic to democracy, poses a threat to everyone in societies where it goes unchecked, and represents a global challenge that calls for a human rights-based approach to combat it. The Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated again how quickly Jewish communities and other minorities are scapegoated at times of stress, accused of conspiring to undermine whole societies, and targeted for discrimination and violence.  At the same time, the past year has also seen renewed efforts to combat the menace of antisemitism through education and awareness-raising, interfaith engagement, policy level commitments from governments, and actions by public bodies and international organisations to address both underlying issues and manifestations of antisemitism.

As part of the annual Holocaust Remembrance Week programme, the University of Essex is hosting a panel discussion to examine the challenges and opportunities for combating antisemitism from the perspective of actors who have been engaged in addressing antisemitism and promoting societal cohesion. The panel discussion will cover national contexts and international perspectives as well as insights drawn from education, interfaith engagement and promotion of human rights.

Our speakers are:

Dr Yehuda Stolov, Executive Director, Interfaith Encounter Association.

Ruth-Anne Lenga, Associate Professor (Teaching) and Programme Director, UCL Centre for Holocaust Education.

Sacha Roytman-Dratwa, Director, Combat Anti-Semitism.

Dr Ahmed Shaheed, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief and School of Law and Human Rights Centre, University of Essex.

Please register in advance for this panel discussion.

To find out more about other events taking place during Holocaust Memorial Week, please visit our webpage.