Michael Mirilashvili attended the opening of the 'Protecting the Future' conference

Moscow, October 30. Yesterday, a two-day conference titled "Protecting the Future," dedicated to countering antisemitism, xenophobia, and racism, opened in Moscow.

The conference was opened by the Speaker of the Federation Council, Valentina Matviyenko. Emphasizing the heightened relevance of the issue, the Speaker of the upper house of parliament pointed out to those gathered that "the twenty-first century has become an era of comfort, but not an era of security. Manifestations of extremism are observed in many European countries. Russia, meanwhile, has always consistently opposed and continues to oppose antisemitism, xenophobia, and racism."

Executive Vice President of the World Jewish Congress (WJC), Robert Singer, read a message from WJC President Ronald Lauder, who is currently in the US due to the terrorist attack in Pittsburgh. Mr. Singer reminded conference participants that today, even in major European cities, Jewish children once again do not feel safe.

Israeli Ambassador to Russia Gary Koren read a greeting from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in support of the Conference's goals and objectives.

In his speech, President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC), Michael Mirilashvili, noted the urgent need to address the security issues of Jewish communities. To this end, the EAJC is working on a corresponding project in cooperation with the World Jewish Congress. In his address, the EAJC leader stated: "Jewish communities constitute an integral part of society. The primary responsibility for the safety of citizens lies with governments and law enforcement agencies. Our task is to do everything possible to complement and support the efforts of state authorities."

However, the key element in countering xenophobia and antisemitism remains education, upbringing, preserving the memory, and disseminating knowledge about the Holocaust. Therefore, the EAJC continues to actively work on expanding the network of Sunday schools, develops youth projects, and has established the Institute for the Study of Euro-Asian Jewry.

Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar supported the idea of developing educational and upbringing initiatives. He questioned what goes on in the minds of antisemites, concluding that they lacked proper upbringing, no one instilled in them the values of kindness and peace, and the line between hatred and terrorism is very thin.

Many of the speakers noted that global security levels are declining, and interethnic tension is rising. Representatives of the Jewish community are particularly concerned that the threat is escalating primarily in Europe and the United States—civilized countries where the memory of World War II and the Holocaust remains strong.

It was noted that the virus of antisemitism and xenophobia is indestructible, yet every effort must be made to contain its spread. Participants widely agreed that the optimal ways to address this challenge are by raising educational standards, implementing upbringing-oriented projects, disseminating knowledge of the Holocaust, and fostering dialogue with all public organizations worldwide.

Following the opening ceremony, the Conference participants continued their work in the plenary session and specialized sections.