The current situation in Europe of Anti-Semitism and
future prospects for Europe’s Jewish communities will be debated at a
conference hosted by EP President Martin Schulz and First Vice-President
Antonio Tajani in Parliament’s premises on Tuesday afternoon. Anti-Semitism and
attacks against Jews in Europe have grown in recent years.
Mr Tajani (EPP, IT), who is responsible for
inter-religious dialogue for the Parliament, will open the conference, which
will be closed by Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans, and
President Schulz.
Antonio Tajani said: “The faces of anti-Semitism
are many, but the virus is one. Deluding ourselves that Europe is immune is the
biggest mistake. There is no incentive to keep our guard up if we fail to
see that anti-Semitism is still alive among us too, even where persecution and
discrimination have eliminated any Jewish presence. The greatest danger for
Europe is to be impoverished in its history and culture by a slow and steady
exodus of European Jews. It is against this risk that we must be united and
determined”.
Among the invited guests, who will participate
in the debates, are former Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of
the Commonwealth Lord Jonathan Sacks, who will deliver a Keynote speech on “The
Mutating Virus: Understanding Anti-Semitism”, European Rabbis Conference
President Pinchas Goldschmidt, Brussels Chief Rabbi Albert Guigui and French
philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy.
MEPs Fulvio Martusciello (EPP, IT), President of
the delegation to Israel, Cecilia Wikström (ALDE, SE), Vice-Chair of the
Working Group on Anti-Semitism, and Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar (S&D, ES),
Chair of the Working Group, will lead the panel discussions respectively on the
current situation on Anti-Semitism in Europe, national patterns and experiences
and future prospects.
You can follow the whole debate via webstreaming here. The programme is available in English and French.
Note to editors
The event is organised in the context of TFEU
Art. 17, which provides for an open, transparent and regular dialogue
with EU institutions and churches, religious associations, and philosophical
and non-confessional organisations.
This is the second event in 2016. The first was held
in April and concerned European Muslims facing radicalisation. Other events in
this context took place in 2015, covering tackling radicalism and
fundamentalism through education and the persecution of Christians in the
world.
REF. :
20160923IPR43827
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