The OSCE Chairpersonship's Conference on Combating anti-Semitism: Addressing Challenges of Intolerance and Discrimination opened today in St. Gallen, a city in eastern Switzerland with a long-standing tradition of interreligious dialogue. The conference provides a platform for analyzing current developments and for strengthening co-operation between OSCE participating States and civil society actors.
The conference is the first of four international conferences Switzerland will be hosting in its role as 2026 OSCE Chair. Over the course of two days, it will take stock of current trends related to anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance, and reinforced co-operation between governments, international organizations and civil society.
"The promise of 'never again' was long thought to belong to the past. Yet hatred persists and is once again turning into violence and horror - as we saw on an Australian beach last December, and as we experience in our daily lives across our countries: through attacks on synagogues and memorial sites, through insults voiced in the streets, in schools and even more online," said Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, OSCE Chairman-in-Office.
The conference aims not only to reaffirm existing commitments, but also to translate them into coordinated political action and concrete, practical measures. Participants stressed that effectively combating hatred and intolerance requires sustained political will, close co-operation and a willingness to openly address difficult realities.
"Building a common future of peace and security is not just an ideal or an ideology: it is a daily work," underlined the Head of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. "Let us get now to work to turn memory into action."
The Secretary General Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu recalled that combating anti-Semitism, protecting freedom of religion or belief, and promoting tolerance and mutual respect are longstanding OSCE commitments. He stressed the need for political will, sustained co-operation and trust among institutions, participating States and affected communities. "The OSCE stands ready to support these efforts, starting from the unwavering commitment to fostering free, tolerant and secure societies for all.
"We do not need to look far back in history to see the horrific consequences when anti-Semitism is allowed to take root," said Maria Telalian, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). "Combating hatred and prejudice is not only a moral imperative but also a matter of security. We all have a role to play in building tolerant societies and fostering understanding. In doing so, we can work together to counter the long-standing prejudices and stereotypes that give rise to anti-Semitism and its fateful consequences."
Discussions will continue to focus on preventive approaches and good practices to counter prejudice; on analyzing current trends and threats based on data from ODIHR and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), and on effective policy responses to strengthen community protection and social resilience. Particular attention is being given to the role of sport as a space for inclusion and a tool to combat anti-Semitism and racism.
Link to Federal Councillor Cassis's speech: "From memory to action"
