NEW YORK – The World Jewish Congress and Israel’s Consulate in New York will hold the third annual East Coast Campus Pitch Competition on Thursday, aimed at encouraging students to propose creative ways to change the discourse about Israel and anti-Semitism at colleges and universities. 
Five student groups from NYU, Baruch College, SUNY Binghamton, the University of Pittsburgh, and Cornell University, will present their initiatives, for a chance to win a grant of $5,000 to carry out the project.
The event will begin at 6:30 PM with a cocktail reception for students and young professionals. The live final pitch will commence at 7:00 PM, after which a panel of esteemed judges will award the winning group. Media representatives are welcome to attend, but advanced registration is mandatory.
The Campus Pitch Initiative debuted in New York in the fall of 2015 for students in the Tri-State area, with the first competition being held in spring 2016. The project gradually expanded across the United States and to London in 2017, and is expected to launch in Europe and Latin America in the coming semesters.
WJC CEO Robert Singer said: “Campuses all over the United States, as well in Europe and Latin America, have been taken over by the dangerous initiatives of those seeking to boycott and delegitimize Israel and Jewish communities. These movements are gaining steam and popular support at alarming rates, and Jewish and pro-Israel students often feel silenced and threatened,” Singer said. “The World Jewish Congress fully stands behind the advocacy efforts to fight these anti-Israel anti-Jewish campaigns. Thanks to the courage and determination of these students, we can and we will change the conversation on campuses.”
Past winners include the Faces of Israel project, a walking gallery presenting the diverse population of Israelis which is continuing to operate and grow with the support of the World Jewish Congress.
Campus pitch
