WJC Advocates for Jewish Communities at UNGA as October 7th Anniversary Nears

NEW YORK - World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder welcomed Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, to the Neue Galerie Tuesday afternoon. President Lauder reiterated the critical need for strong U.S. leadership in the fight against antisemitism. The two discussed the recent launch of the Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism, which were unveiled at the 30th commemoration of the AMIA bombings in Buenos Aires, Argentina. They noted that these guidelines from the State Department are a crucial tool for enhancing international efforts to combat antisemitism. 

NEW YORK — On the sidelines of the 79th UNGA High-Level Week in New York, the World Jewish Congress’s diplomatic marathon is being supported by members of the organization’s Jewish Diplomatic Corps. 

At the start of the week, the JDCorps members attended events such as the United Nations’ Summit of the Future Action Days and a UNGA side event hosted by UNESCO and the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.  

Representing the World Jewish Congress, Elizabeth Chen (US) attended the Summit of the Future, where she engaged with young leaders from around the world focused on advancing women's rights and tackling poverty while addressing concerns of antisemitism during a counterterrorism panel that ignored Israel’s struggles and criticizing the rhetoric and lack of empathy for its victims. 

Throughout the remainder of the UNGA High-Level week, WJC Jewish Diplomatic Corps members Louise Lipsker (France), Danielle Murad Weiss (US), Randall Fried (US), and Victoria Godik (Ukraine/Germany) will take part in civil roundtable discussions, attend side events, and meet with national delegations on WJC’s behalf.  

NEW YORK—WJC President Ronald S. Lauder called on world leaders to double down on their fight against anti-Israel bias and antisemitism within the halls of the United Nations during a high-level event hosted by France’s Foreign Ministry and UNESCO held at New York’s Cipriani. The gathering, titled “Combatting antisemitism and hate speech through education,” was aimed at promoting educational initiatives addressing these critical issues while emphasizing a need for increased programs in the field of Holocaust and genocide studies. 

The was headlined by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, newly sworn-in French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot, and World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder. 

In his remarks, President Lauder recognized the presence of the hostages' families and underscored the alarming rise of global antisemitism, asserting that "fighting antisemitism requires coordination between governments, civil society, and international organizations." He stated that such countries that fail to do so should be allowed to be part of the international community.

He also used his remarks to emphasize the importance of global cooperation, particularly in education and combating online hate, supported by UNESCO's collaboration with the World Jewish Congress.  

In her remarks, Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, underscored the urgent need for a united approach to address the rise in antisemitism, stressing that education plays a crucial role in fostering tolerance and countering hate speech. She also praised the success of initiatives like AboutHolocaust.org, a joint effort between UNESCO and the World Jewish Congress, in advancing these goals. The site is used by Facebook and TikTok to provide users with reliable information about the history of the Holocaust. 

France’s newly appointed Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, who assumed his position earlier in the day, shared the poignant story of his grandfather’s efforts to save Jews during the Holocaust. He emphasized that this personal connection underscores his deep commitment to Holocaust education and his resolve to combat antisemitism. 

The evening also featured remarks from Keren Yarhi-Milo of Columbia University, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, WJC Vice President & Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (Crif) President Yonathan Arfi, Argentinian Foreign Minister Diana Mondino, Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Deborah Lipstadt, USC Shoah Foundation’s Robert Williams, Albanian Foreign Minister Igli Hasnana, Netherlands Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp, and Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe. American Jewish Committee CEO Ted Deutch delivered closing remarks.