News
SRSG speaks at the Iftar citoyen of the Grand Mosque of Strasbourg
On 23 March, the SRSG had the honour of attending the Iftar citoyen organised by the Grand Mosque of Strasbourg to celebrate Ramadan on behalf of the Secretary General. SRSG had the pleasure of delivering a speech along with the President of the Grand Mosque, Officials from the Mayor’s Office and...
Council of Europe joins the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance campaign #ProtectTheFacts
The Council of Europe has joined the #ProtectTheFacts campaign of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), in a signing ceremony at the Palais de l’Europe, in the presence of Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić and IHRA Co-Chair Sara Lustig. The partnership between the...
International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust
“Remembrance is a choice. The Shoah must remain etched on Europe’s collective conscience. Because it is by remembering the darkness that we continue to live in the light”, highlighted Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić at the Council of Europe ceremony on Wednesday 24 January, marking the...
What can be done to stop rise of antisemitism, intolerance and hatred based on religion?
Prompted by rising levels of antisemitism, intolerance and hatred based on religion in Europe, the Council of Europe works in all of its relevant fora to draw attention to the issue and to help tackle it. At its plenary session in Strasbourg on 5-8 December the Council of Europe’s independent...
Congress President addresses European Mayors Summit against Antisemitism
The Summit brought together mayors and local officials from across Europe on 30 November 2023 in Dortmund (Germany). The local leaders discussed how to build social cohesion, strengthen Jewish life at local level and establish understanding between citizens of different cultural and religious...
Joint Statement of the Coordinators, Special Representatives, Envoy and Ambassadors on Combating Anti-Muslim Hatred and Discrimination
In the current geopolitical context, hate crimes, hate speech, and threats to civil liberties and freedom of peaceful assembly have multiplied worldwide. Muslim and Jewish communities have become targets of physical and verbal attacks. They feel more and more unsafe and threatened, online and...
Rise in hate speech and hate incidents
Statement by Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić
A Europe of fraternité
International Day to Combat Islamophobia – An opinion piece by Alexandre Guessel, Special Representative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on antisemitic, anti-Muslim and other forms of religious intolerance and hate crimes
The SRSG Alexandre Guessel addresses the participants of the colloquy “Representing the Shoah” at the University of Venice
Secretary General’s Special Representative Alexandre Guessel addressed an audience at the Venice University during an event co-organized by the Council of Europe’s Venice Office. In his online address to the “Memory, law and rights: Antisemitism and discrimination based on religion” session, the...
Ambassadors’ exchange with UNAOC High Representative Miguel Ángel Moratinos: Promoting Respect for Freedom of Religion or Belief
An informal meeting of Ministers’ Deputies took place on 18 October 2022 under the Irish Presidency of the Council of Europe in the context of the work of the Special Representative, Daniel Höltgen. Guest speakers included: H.E. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, High Representative of the United Nations...
Exchange of views with Ambassador Musa, OSCE Special Representative on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims
On 7 October, I had the opportunity to have an online meeting with Ambassador İsmail Hakkı Musa, the new Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims. I congratulated him on his appointment. We agreed to continue and build...
Meeting with Chems-Eddine Hafiz, rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris
I had the honour of meeting Chems-Eddine Hafiz, rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris for an exchange on strategies and initiatives to combat antisemitism, racism and discrimination in particular against Muslims. I informed him of the various recommendations of the Council of Europe, including the...
Informal Meeting of Ministers’ Deputies 18 October 2022: "Strategies to promote tolerance and combat hate"
An informal meeting of Ministers’ Deputies on the topic of "Strategies to promote tolerance and combat hate" will take place on 18 October 2022 from 10am-1pm as part of the Irish Presidency in the context of the work of the Special Representative (SRSG). Guest speakers include: H.E. Miguel Ángel...
Ministerial conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), London
On behalf of the Secretary General, I took part in the 3rd Ministerial Conference Freedom of Religion or Belief, hosted by the UK, following my attendance online of the 2nd FORB ministerial organised by Poland in 2020. The Conference in London provided an ample opportunity to network with other...
75th Anniversary of the Auschwitz Holocaust Museum
On behalf of the Secretary General, I was invited to participate in the 75thAnniversary event of the Auschwitz Holocaust Museum. The event included a dedicated guided tour of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camps and a seminar on the future of Holocaust remembrance and its role in combating antisemitism....
Expert seminar on anti-Muslim racism and discrimination
Following a series of events on antisemitism and religious intolerance in 2021 (see summary of main activities 2021), a public seminar specifically on the topic of anti-Muslim racism and discrimination was held in Strasbourg on 7 June (programme). International and national experts shared their...
Conference of European Rabbis (CER) 2022 Convention in Munich
The Conference of European Rabbis (CER) brings together some 700 orthodox Rabbis from all over Europe. The CER’s President is Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, who has attended several meetings at the Council of Europe, most recently an exchange on combatting antisemitism during the Hungarian Presidency...
Antisemitism envoys gather in Jerusalem for Holocaust Remembrance Day
JERUSALEM – Dozens of global officials tasked with combating antisemitism met in Israel to continue brainstorming on how to end the world’s oldest hatred. The SECCA (Special Envoys and Coordinators Combating Antisemitism) forum, hosted by the World Jewish Congress in cooperation with the Israeli...
Russia must stop aggression and destruction of religious sites and places of worship – joint statement by Special Representatives of OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Council of Europe
As the Russian military attack against Ukraine continues, we mourn the victims of war and lament the millions forced to leave their homes and their country behind, seeking shelter and safety within Ukraine, in Europe and beyond. Children, women and the elderly are particularly vulnerable. Many...
Combatting antisemitic and racist hate speech in Italy
Visit to the Milan Shoah Memorial