(Communicated by the MFA Spokesperson)

The 7th European Commission - Israel Seminar of experts on the fight against racism, xenophobia and antisemitism will be held in Brussels on December 16-17, 2013.

During the seminar, participants will discuss such issues as: manifestations of antisemitism in the member states of the European Union, and effective ways of combating it; the sharp rise in hate crimes and antisemitism on the web and in cyberspace and how to reduce it; education to preserve the memory of the Holocaust, to enhance tolerance and combat antisemitism. There will also be a discussion of the results of the recent survey of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights on Jewish people’s experiences and perceptions of antisemitism, hate-motivated crime and discrimination across a number of EU Member States.

On the second day, meetings will be held in the European Parliament to raise awareness among European lawmakers of the need to combat antisemitism.

The Israeli delegation to the dialogue will be headed by Ambassador Gideon Behar, Director of the Israel Foreign Ministry Department for Combating Anti-Semitism, alongside experts from Yad Vashem - the World Center for Holocaust Research, Documentation, Education and Commemoration - and the Israel Students Union.

The European delegation will be headed by Ms. Salla Saastamoinen, Head of Unit of Fundamental Rights and Rights of the Child in the Directorate General Justice of the European Commission, along with diplomats and senior officials involved in the fight against antisemitism and racism.

The Seminar will be opened by David Walzer, Ambassador of Israel to the European Union and Paul Nemitz, Director for Fundamental Rights and Citizenship at the European Commission Justice Directorate-General.