Addressing antisemitism through education
Antisemitism threatens the security of Jewish people and communities around the world and is the driving force of many violent extremist ideologies. Like all forms of intolerance and discrimination, antisemitism has a profound impact on the whole of society, undermining peace and human rights. Antisemitism is no longer confined to extremist circles and has become increasingly mainstreamed, including on social media.
Addressing antisemitism through education is both an immediate security imperative and a long-term educational investment to promote human rights and global citizenship.
During the UNESCO High-Level event “The power of education to prevent racism and discrimination: the case of antisemitism”, at the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Secretary General of the United Nations recognized the important role of education in preventing antisemitism and identified four priorities:
- Recognize antisemitism as a problem to be addressed internationally;
- Develop education programmes that address antisemitism in a framework of human rights and global citizenship;
- Build the capacity of educational systems to address antisemitism, conspiracy theories and all other forms of hate speech; and
- Increase investment in social cohesion.
In line with these priorities, UNESCO collaborates with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to promote effective practices, key policies and pedagogies to address antisemitism through and in education. In the context of global citizenship education, this work is also linked to countering hate speech, educating about the Holocaust and genocides and enhancing education as a tool to prevent violent extremism.
