JUSTICE - No. 66

28 No. 66 JUSTICE address antisemitism for the OSCE. It is also collaborating with the OSCE and the World Jewish Congress on training programs for policy makers, and to date, has organized workshops in Warsaw, Geneva and Paris. Another major international initiative is the development of curricula for primary and secondary education teachers, vocational educational teachers and school directors. 23 Finally, the Swedish government was scheduled to organize a conference to mark the twentieth anniversary of the Stockholm Declaration and ask that IHRA member states commit to new initiatives to combat antisemitism and commemorate the Holocaust. These were announced by the Swedish Foreign Minister at the OSCE Expert Meeting on Antisemitism in January 2021. 24 Conclusions Only in recent years have European and other intergovernmental institutions understood that it is not sufficient to fight antisemitism as just another form of racism. They now realize that it is necessary to recognize that antisemitism owes its longevity to religious, racial, political and other prejudices and that for it to be successfully fought, a holistic approach is required. This must encompass education, legislation and better developed tools for law enforcement and criminal justice agencies. It also requires a trans-national approach to combat the international reach and capacities of the internet that enable so much hate material to be transmitted. The European Council Declarations of 2018 and 2020 were important milestones in recognizing these developments, and the agreed new roadmap or strategy will better enforce recommendations. The work of IHRA and UNESCO now brings together experts to provide long-term remedies, and the report by the UN Special Rapporteur has brought the threat to the attention of a wider audience. Historically, the UN has done little more than condemn antisemitism and Holocaust denial. The UN Special Rapporteur's efforts and those of the recently appointed UN High Representative may mark a turning point. Expecting European states to recognize antisemitic crimes and to monitor them consistently will remain difficult. Despite intergovernmental agreements, it remains difficult to go beyond national law enforcement norms and practices. Progress will be made, albeit slowly, as a consequence of the EC Declarations and training for police provided by FRA and the OSCE ODIHR. The new round of OSCE Words into Action to Address Anti-Semitism series of seminars for police officers in ten countries, due to take place during 2021 and 2022, may also mark a new beginning, in particular as participants will now learn to analyze antisemitic incidents through the lens of the Working Definition. The appointment of national commissioners or high- level officials to combat antisemitism, as called for by the European Council Declarations, should assist governments to be more active. They should also be able to coordinate activities and exchange good practices, and a forum has now been created for such exchanges chaired by the EC Coordinator. Should they need to look for examples of good practice, they will find many listed in the Handbook published at the end of 2020. Until recently, EU member states were not required to report their efforts to combat antisemitism, but the soon to be published roadmap or strategy will contain a requirement to report back to the EU, as does the FRA annual report. Holding states up to public scrutiny will force them to act more decisively against antisemitism. n Michael Whine is the Senior Consultant to the World Jewish Congress and the UK Member of ECRI, a st anding commission which advises member st ates of the Council of Europe on human rights issues. 23. Ibid . 24. Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe,“Closer co-operation and greater creativity needed to combat contemporary anti-semitism, OSCE officials say on International Holocaust Remembrance Day” (Jan. 27, 2021), available at https://www.osce.org/chairmanship/476707; see also Expert Meeting on Combating Antisemitism in the OSCE region, Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Jan. 29, 2021, htps://www.osce.org/files/f/ documents/d/b/477181.pdf