Following the marches against antisemitism that took place across France on February 2019, the Consulate General of France in New York held a special event on Wednesday under the banner of “say no to antisemitism”, in the presence of heavyweights in New York’s diplomatic and Jewish communities.
Addressing the gathering, World Jewish Congress CEO and Executive Vice President Robert Singer put the issue into perspective, saying, “the problem of antisemitism is not just a Jewish problem, but one that concerns all governments and civil society as a whole, and we are grateful for the proactive measures that France has taken to combat what has already become an insidious global epidemic.”
Singer thanked the French government for taking the issue of antisemitism seriously, stating, “Together with our French affiliate, the Conseil Representatif des Institutions Juives de France (CRIF), the WJC recognizes the strides the French government has taken to combat antisemitism, including President Emmanuel Macron's recent declaration that anti-Zionism constitutes antisemitism, and his announcement that France will adopt the definition of antisemitism promulgated by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.
“The working relationship that the French government holds with its Jewish community is both exceptional and constructive, and the WJC looks forward to a continued fruitful cooperation,” Singer said.
French Consul General Anne-Claire Legendre added in her address, “Today we have come together to say no to antisemitism. The struggle against antisemitism will have to be a collective and individual effort that also has bearing beyond France’s borders.”