Brussels, 16 November 2022
The European Commission is hosting today and tomorrow the first-ever EU Civil Society Forum on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life. At the Forum, the Commission will launch a network of Young European Ambassadors to promote Holocaust remembrance. Both, the Forum and the network of Ambassadors are flagship initiatives of the 2021 EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life.
Vice-President Schinas stated:
“We are stepping up our work on antisemitism and fostering Jewish life. The Forum will provide a platform for the civil society to help connect initiatives in different Member States. By the end of this year, the Commission will make €20 million available to fighting all forms of discrimination, racism and antisemitism and €10 million to support initiatives on Holocaust remembrance. Through a new network of Young Ambassadors we are building bridges between young Europeans and Holocaust survivors, making sure their stories are never forgotten.”
The Forum aims to empower civil society to develop new actions and projects on Jewish culture, Holocaust remembrance, and fight against online antisemitism. In addition to bringing together civil society from across the EU, representatives from Israel and other partner countries will also participate. The network of Young European Ambassadors, launched as part of the European Year of Youth 2022, will help young Europeans to learn how to access and share accurate information about the Holocaust, commemorate it in their local communities, and recognise and rebut Holocaust distortion online. The opening plenary and the launch of the network of Young European Ambassadors can be followed online here. The agenda of the Forum is available here.
Source – EU Commission