BUENOS AIRES - The Latin American Jewish
Congress, a regional branch of the World Jewish
Congress, is hosting the First Global Forum
Combating Anti-Semitism in Latin America on July 17
and 18, coinciding with the 22nd anniversary of the
deadly bombing of the AMIA Jewish Center. Argentinian
Vice President Gabriela Michetti will be the keynote
speaker at the opening dinner in Buenos Aires on Sunday
night.
A number of other
high-ranking officials in Latin America will participate
in the forum as well, including Uruguay’s Education and
Culture Minister Maria Julia Muñoz, Colombian Supreme
Court Justice Camilo Montoya, US Special Envoy to
Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Ira Forman, as
well as parliamentarians and experts from across the
region. More than 250 participants from 17 countries are
expected at the forum.
Jack Terpins, President of
the Latin American Jewish Congress, said: "Anti-Semitism
is a social disease which must be fought together by
society as a whole. We look forward to a society
of pluralism and diversity, and sensitivity to
all forms of discrimination. This forum, which poses a
new regional approach to the problem, aims to do just
that."
The meeting will focus on four arenas for
combating anti-Semitism: Education, internet and media,
legislation, and interfaith dialogue. A youth forum of
25 representatives from Argentina, organized by the
state's National Institute Against Discrimination,
Xenophobia and Racism, will meet in parallel to the
forum and will participate in the general sessions as
well. Participants of the conference will also attend a
ceremony honoring the victims of the terrorist
attack carried out against the Argentinian Jewish
community center, AMIA, on July 18, 1994, which killed
85 people.
The Global Forum Combating
Anti-Semitism is the premier gathering
assessing the impact of anti-Semitism and
formulating effective forms of societal and
governmental response. This year's conference was
jointly organized by the Latin American Jewish Congress,
the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Hispanic
Leadership Coalition-Israeli
(HILC).
Press
Accreditation
Journalists and press
photographers are requested to send their full names and
media credentials to pre...@congresojudio.org with the
subject line "ACCREDITATION."
Some sessions will
be closed to the press.
About the Latin American
Jewish Congress
The Latin American
Jewish Congress is the regional branch of the World
Jewish Congress (WJC), the international
organization representing Jewish communities in 100
countries to governments, parliaments and international
organizations.
