Live Blog | United Nations General Assembly 2026

NEW YORK - World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder met with Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs Beate Meinl-Reisinger on Thursday. 

WJC President Lauder, who served as U.S. ambassador to Austria from 1986 to 1987, held a candid discussion with the federal minister on Europe’s political landscape and its impact on Austria’s Jewish community. Lauder also welcomed the official reopening of Vienna’s historic Stadttempel synagogue earlier this month ahead of the 200th anniversary of its founding.

There are approximately 10,500 Jews currently living in Austria. The Austrian affiliate of the World Jewish Congress is the Jewish Community of Vienna. 

NEW YORK – At the World Jewish Congress office on Wednesday, WJC President Ronald S. Lauder met with UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany to discuss combating antisemitism through education and the importance of broad and inclusive engagement with UNESCO.

The meeting also addressed concerns about the disproportionate focus on Israel within international institutions. They discussed opportunities to build upon the longstanding WJC-UNESCO partnership and strengthen cooperation in addressing antisemitism, intolerance and hate through education, culture and other areas of shared concern.

NEW YORK – WJC Chief Philanthropy and Leadership Officer Elliot Mendes met with Guatemala’s Foreign Minister Carlos Ramiro Martínez on Wednesday, together with representatives of major American Jewish organizations, for a warm meeting focused on Guatemala’s strong bilateral ties with Israel and its engagement with the Jewish community.

Thanking the Foreign Minister for Guatemala’s support of the IHRA working definition of antisemitism, Mendes called for Guatemala to appoint a Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life.

There are approximately 1,000 Jews currently living in Guatemala. The Guatemalan affiliate of the World Jewish Congress is the Jewish Community of Guatemala.