The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is holding the 4th International Conference of the Global Forum for Combating Antisemitism on 28-30 May 2013. The delegates are convening to discuss ways of combating the different manifestations of current Antisemitism at a 3-day conference in Jerusalem. This conference serves  as a follow-up mechanism to previous conferences, and  aims  at discussing, through 10 different Working Groups, viable models for facing the global challenge of Antisemitism, and coming up with a practical Action Plan.

The Conference Webpage:

http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFA+events/Conferences/GFCA_4th_International_Conference_May_2013

The Conference will also have a live link for viewing its videoed Plenary Session deliberations:

http://bcove.me/qcugyuts

Venue of the Conference: Ramada Jerusalem Hotel - Ruppin Bridge at Herzl Boulevard, Jerusalem.

 Tel: (972-2) 659-9999     Fax: (972-2) 651-1824.  mgr2@herzlhotel.com  Tel: +972-2-6599923

The agenda of the conference is as follows:

Tuesday, 28th May 2013 – Official Opening

16:00 onwards - Gathering and registration

18:00-20:00 Opening Ceremony –  Host: Mr. Zeev Elkin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Israel

·         A video message by Mr.  Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister, Israel.

Greeting speeches by:

• Mr. Alan Shatter, Minister for Justice, Equality and Defense, Ireland – EU Presidency for 2013.
• Mr. Neris Germanas, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania.
• Mr. Konstantinos Karagounis, Deputy Minister of Justice, Transparency & Human Rights, Greece.
• Mr. Bence Retvari, Secretary of State, Ministry of Public Administration and Justice, Hungary.
• Dr. Mario Silva, Chairman of the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) for the year 2013 on behalf of Canada.

Conference Chair: Ambassador Gideon Behar

20:00-22:00 Official Cocktail Gala evening

8:00 onwards - Continuation of registration.

On this day the participants will meet in 10 different rooms, according to the Working Group they registered to, and will help formulate 10 Action Plans to Combat Antisemitism, under the leadership of the WG Co-Chairs.

9:00-10:30 First working session of the different working groups

10:30-11:00 Coffee break

11:00-12:30 Second working session of the different working groups

12:30-14:00 Light lunch sandwiches, at The Dining Hall, LL floor.

14:00-15:30 Third and last working session of the different working groups

15:30-16:00 Coffee break

16:00-17:00 Plenary Panel of the Inter-Parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism (ICCA) Task Force
Opening remarks - Ms. Fiamma Nirenstein

Panelists:  MP John Mann (UK)

                    Mr. Robert Trestan.
Moderator: Mr. Christopher Wolf, Co-Chair of the task force.

17:15-19:15 Optional tour of Jerusalem (for those who registered).

19:30-21:30 Dinner and Speeches  by:

·         Mr. Nikolay Mladenov, Former Foreign Minister of Bulgaria.

Thursday, 30th May 2013 - Plenary

8:00 -onwards - Continuation of late registrations

9:00-10:00 Plenary Panel with Muslim Religious Leaders –

Mufti Gazmend Aga,  Deputy Chief Mufti of Muslim Community (Albania)

Mufti Dr. Abduljalil Sajid,  Brighton Islamic Mission (UK)

Imam Hassan Shalguomy,  (France)

Mr. Genti Kruja, Director of the Interfaith Dialogue Dep., the Muslim Community  (Albania)

Moderator: Mr. Jeremy Jones, Director of Int. and of Community Affairs for the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council.

10:00-11:00 Presentation of Action Plans  before the Plenary by respective  WG Co-Chairs:

Moderator: Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center

-          Antisemitism in the Guise of Delegitimization and Anti-Zionism.

-          Antisemitism in the Internet and in the Media

-          Antisemitism on the campuses and Education for Tolerance and Mutual Respect.

15 minutes for each presenter + 10 minutes of general discussion.

11:00-11:30 Coffee Break

11:30-13:00  Presentation of Action Plans  before the Plenary by respective  WG Co-Chairs:

 Moderator: Mr. Daniel S. Mariaschin, Executive Vice President of B'Nai B'rith International

-          Antisemitism in the Muslim and Arab World

-          Antisemitism in Latin America

-          Antisemitism in the Former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe region

-          Antisemitism in the EU and Western  Europe region

15 minutes, for each presenter + 15 minutes of general discussion.

13:00-14:15 Lunch at Dining Hall (LL floor), with  Lectures by:

·         Mr. Abraham H. Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League

·         Mr. Avner Shalev, Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate

14:30-15:00 Plenary – Speech by Knesset Speaker, Mr. Yuli (Yoel) Edelstein

                      (guests are kindly  requested to come up to the Plenary hall and be seated

                        By 14:25, in time for the Knesset Speaker entry).

15:00-15:30 Plenary - Lecture by Prof. Yehuda Bauer: "Why Antisemitism?"

Moderator: Rabbi Andrew Baker, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chair-in-Office on Combating Anti-Semitism, and AJC Director of Int. Jewish Affairs

15:30-16:00 Coffee Break

16:00-17:00  Presentation of Action Plans  before the Plenary by respective  WG Co-Chairs:

Moderator: Mr. Robert Singer, Secretary General of World Jewish Congress

-          Law, Legislation and Enforcement in  Combating Antisemitism

-          Inter Faith Dialogue as an instrument to mitigate Antisemitism

-          Maintaining continuance of Diaspora Jewish Life (Kosher slaughter; Circumcision etc.)

15 minutes for each presenter + 10 minutes of general discussion.

17:00-18:00 Closing event -

§  Presentation of Steering Group Paper – Mr. David Matas, B'nai Brith.

§  Summary of the Conference – Amb. Gideon Meir – Director General for

Public Diplomacy,  MFA.

§  Awards Giving to the Conference Co-Chairs

§  Closing remarks - Heads of Session -  Amb. Shmuel Ben-Shmuel and Amb. Gideon Behar

18:00-19:30 Farewell Cocktail

·         Amb. Rafael  Barak, Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Closing speech

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The 10 Working Groups:

1.       Antisemitism in the Muslim and Arab World

·         Co-Chairs: Dr. Boaz Ganor and Mr. Itamar Marcus

2.       Antisemitism in Latin America

·         Co-Chairs: Mr. Sammy Eppel and Mr. Sergio Widder

3.       Antisemitism in the Former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe region

·         Co-Chairs: Mr. Mark Levin and Dr. Tomas Kraus

4.       Antisemitism in the EU and Western  Europe region

·         Co-Chairs: Mr. Mike Whine and Mr. Marc Knobel

5.       Antisemitism in the Guise of Delegitimization and Anti-Zionism

·         Co-Chairs: Dr. Mitchell Bard and Dr. Pascal Markowicz

6.       Antisemitism in the Internet and in the Media

·         Co-Chairs: Mr. David Matas and Dr. Andre Oboler

7.       Law, Legislation and Enforcement in Combating Antisemitism

·         Co-Chairs:   Prof. Dina Porat, Adv. Talia Naama  and Mr. Michael A. Salberg 

8.       Inter Faith Dialogue as an instrument to mitigate Antisemitism

·         Co-Chairs: Ms. Anne-Marie Revcolevschi and Mufti Dr. Abduljalil Sajid

9.       Maintaining continuance of Diaspora Jewish Life (Kosher slaughter; Circumcision etc.)

·         Co-Chairs: Dr. Dov Maimon and Mr. Philip Carmel

10.   Antisemitism on the campuses and Education for Tolerance and Mutual Respect

·         Co-Chairs: Dr. Charles Asher Small, Prof. Shmuel Trigano and Ms. Michelle      Whiteman