European Anti-Semitism Conference in Vienna
Anti-Semitism is still widespread in Europe and must be curbed. The European conference on anti-Semitism is taking place in Vienna for the second time.
Austria's Federal Minister Karoline Edtstadler together with the President of the IKG Oskar Deutsch invited to a European forum against anti-Semitism. / Picture: © Bundeskanzleramt (BKA) / Andy Wenzel
According to the Federal Chancellery, the event was initiated by Constitutional Minister Karoline Edtstadler. Edtstadler described Austria as a "pioneer in the fight against anti-Semitism in Europe," according to a Chancellery statement.
The meeting will focus on improving the comparability of data on anti-Semitic incidents and the problem that fewer such incidents are reported than happen (underreporting).
"Through exchange and networking with our European partners, we can benefit from each other's knowledge," she said, according to ORF, "and thus become even more effective in the fight against anti-Semitism and the promotion of Jewish life in Europe."
Several member states of the European Union and the EU Commission are represented at the meeting, as well as the EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA), the Council of Europe, the Human Rights Office (ODIHR) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the German monitoring institution RIAS Berlin, and various Jewish organizations like Vienna's Israelite Community (IKG).
The guiding principle for the talks is to be the Vienna Declaration against Anti-Semitism, which was presented at the first such conference in May 2022, Vindobona.org reported. The declaration stipulated increased cooperation at the European level on this issue and also initiated an annual conference on anti-Semitism. It has since been signed by 13 EU member states, including Austria.