In a statement to BosNewsLife, the Council of Europe (COE) said that the French capital Paris, the Ukrainian capital Kiev and Poland’s capital Warsaw will host a day-long ‘All Different – All Equal’ campaign event "dedicated to Jewish culture, inter-religious dialogue, and the fight against anti-Semitism" on September 18.
Tents are to be placed in the main squares of each city "to show visitors Jewish culture, heritage, history and the importance of eradicating anti-Semitism," the COE said. "The event aims to encourage inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue with open air classrooms, panel discussions, exhibitions, conferences, tours, sessions, meetings, and concerts."
It comes at a time when Jewish groups have expressed concerns about anti-Jewish attacks in France, Ukraine, Poland and other countries in both Eastern and Western Europe. In Britain, latest reports suggested that anti-Semitism is at record levels.
HIGHEST NUMBER
"Last year saw the highest number of reported anti-Semitic incidents in Britain since recordkeeping began in 1984 — a 33 percent increase over the previous year. Anti-Semitic incidents in Britain have doubled in the last decade," said The Jewish Journal, an influential weekly based in Los Angeles, citing several official sources.
There have also been reports about the rise of far right groups, including in Hungary, where last month’s induction of members of the paramilitary group ‘Magyar Garda’ or ‘Hungarian Guard’ has led to international concerns. Jewish groups also condemned the Magyar Garda’s usage of the ‘Arpad’ flag of the medieval Arpad dynasty, which was used by Hungary’s pro-Nazi regime during World War Two, when 600,000 Hungarian Jews were massacred.
Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom asked the public to stop using the red-and-white-striped flag, "Out of respect for the dead and the pain of the survivors." In a speech to parliament this week he said that, "those who want to express their opposition to the government or who consider the red-white-green national tricolor insufficient to express themselves as Hungarians, should choose a symbol other than this flag."
EASING TENSIONS
The COE said it hopes its upcoming campaign will help to ease tensions in Europe. "To organize the event, the cities’ Jewish communities and organizations will join forces with the COE’s Directorate of Youth and Sport."
The COE stressed it receives support from the European Jewish Congress (EJC), the World Jewish Congress’ (WJC) Future Generations division, the B’nai B’rith International’s European Union Affairs Office, the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) and the Conference of European Rabbis (CER).
"’All Different – All Equal’" is a youth campaign against discrimination and racism, and in support of human rights, diversity, and participation," the COE added.
