14 October 2026 | 6:30 – 10 pm | Doors open at 6:00 pm
London | East End (Venue details will be shared upon registration)

With: Iman Atta (TELL MAMA/ Faith Matters), Colin Tourick (Community Security Trust), Zachary Schaffer (Project Shema), Julie Siddiqi (Together Coalition)
Moderated by: Mohammed Ali Amla (Solutions Not Sides)

Antisemitism and anti-Muslim racism are too often treated as separate problems – or, worse, pitted against one another, with one invoked to excuse or deflect from the other. Both have risen sharply across Europe in recent years, precisely as many societies are retreating from their commitment to pluralism and political forces are increasingly challenging the idea that diversity is a democratic good worth protecting.

This raises an uncomfortable question: What happens when forms of hatred are played off against each other in public debate – and what is lost for the communities caught in between? Bringing together practitioners and experts from Jewish and Muslim communities and wider civil society, this panel will examine what protection, resilience, and solidarity look like in practice. How are communities responding to concrete threats? Which institutional and political strategies are effective? And what does it take to build alliances between communities whose experiences of exclusion do not simply mirror one another?

Taking the UK as a point of departure, the discussion will explore how these tensions play out on the ground – and what they demand of communities, civil society, and public institutions.

We warmly invite you to join us for this conversation and to consider what defending pluralism requires of all of us today.

About the organisers

The European Practitioners Network Against Antisemitism (EPNA) connects more than 100 institutions working to combat antisemitism across Europe and beyond. It promotes international cooperation, facilitates the exchange of expertise and experience, and supports its members in developing effective, practice-based prevention strategies.

The Future 500 programme brings together emerging leaders from politics, business, academia, the arts, and civil society. Through international interreligious, worldview, and intercultural dialogue, participants develop and implement concrete initiatives that strengthen social cohesion across Europe.

Both programmes are part of DialoguePerspectives e.V., a Berlin-based European platform working to strengthen pluralistic and resilient societies. Its work focuses on interreligious and worldview dialogue, combating antisemitism, developing a pluralistic European culture of remembrance, and communicating contemporary Jewish life through educational programmes across Germany.

Registration here.

In this episode Nicole Schweiss speaks with Elyse Picker, Managing Director for National Programs at Rekindle, about a U.S. model for bridge‑building between Black and Jewish communities. Rekindle began in Cleveland and now supports roughly 20 chapters nationwide: a five‑session (≈15 hours) fellowship that combines historical readings, structured dialogue, and commitments to respectful conversation and a growing alumni network that turns dialogue into local action.

We discuss how Rekindle intentionally brings diverse voices into each cohort, uses “I‑statements” and facilitator commitments to create braver spaces, and adapts the program to local contexts (from learning trips to community events and collaborative projects). Elise also reflects on transnational learning and what European practitioners can take away from Rekindle’s chapter model.

For feedback or comments, write us.

***

Intro: Bethany Odd | Moderator: Nicole Schweiß | Speaker: Elyse Picker | Audio-Edit: Gal Yaron Mayersohn | Music: Hopeful Start by John Bartmann is licensed under a CC0 1.0 Universal License | Illustration: Saskia Schlarmann | Editing: Nihal Çalışır | Project Lead: Florian Eisheuer, Johanna Korneli, Jo Frank | © 2026 DialoguePerspectives e.V. | https://against-antisemitism.eu/⁠ | Insta: dialogueperspectives_epna

EPNA Autumn Workshop

Plural Societies, Shared Responsibility: Strengthening Jewish Community Responses to Antisemitism

13 – 15 October | London, United Kingdom

Antisemitic incidents have risen sharply across Europe and beyond, placing the security of Jewish communities under renewed and urgent pressure. The United Kingdom offers an instructive case study – a context in which community-based responses have been developed over decades and from which insights relevant to European and international settings can be drawn.

Yet Jewish communities are too frequently treated as subjects of policy rather than partners in shaping it. This workshop places Jewish perspectives at the centre of the conversation, bringing together security experts, practitioners and political stakeholders to examine how responses to antisemitism can be strengthened in line with the lived experience of those most affected.

Building security and resilience demands more than community-specific measures. It requires open and cooperative engagement across communities – grounded in the recognition that a pluralistic and diverse society is not merely the context for this work, but its foundation and its purpose.

The programme combines expert input, networking opportunities and a skill training on resilience, with a strong emphasis on practical relevance and constructive-critical policy discussion. During a Round Table session, members of our platform will present the policy briefs developed in our working groups to political stakeholders at the European and national levels.

The workshop will explore the following questions:

• How can Jewish communities shape responses to antisemitism as active partners in policy and security approaches, rather than being treated merely as recipients of protection?

• What can be learned from UK-based community-led responses to antisemitism, and which approaches, structures or principles are transferable to other European and international contexts?

• How can security and resilience measures be developed in ways that reflect not only the lived experiences of Jewish communities, but also their internal diversity, across denominations, geographies, visibility and levels of institutional organisation?

• What forms of cross-community cooperation have proven effective in countering antisemitism, and what conditions enable or hinder such cooperation, given different histories, vulnerabilities and political contexts?

• What institutional and political changes are necessary to ensure that community partnership in security and policy goes beyond rhetoric – and how can Jewish communities effectively advocate for these changes at the European and national levels?

The workshop will be held concurrently with the autumn workshop of the Future 500 network, a sister programme of DialoguePerspectives. The second day of the workshop will include a joint programme element. Participants who are active in both EPNA and the Future 500 network are kindly asked to decide which programme they wish to attend and to register accordingly. The call for applications for the Future 500 network will be published shortly.

Date and Location

• Location: London, United Kingdom; exact address to be disclosed upon confirmation
• Start: October 13, 12:00 pm
• End: October 15, 1:00 pm

Cost & Logistics

Travel costs will be reimbursed by us. More detailed information about travel costs and reimbursement will be provided after the selection process. Please be aware that we will ask you to make your travel arrangements within 10 days after the confirmation and share your invoice with us. We will include detailed information on travel arrangements in our confirmation mail.

Most of the main meals will be provided. Please let us know if there are any dietary needs we should be aware of.

Responsible for the Workshop

• Florian Eisheuer, Programme Lead
• Amina Ahmed, Programme Manager

Applications are closed.

United Against Antisemitism. Stories from the Field, Episode 17: “Closing the Gap: EU Institutions and Civil Society Practitioners on Combating Antisemitism”

In this episode you can listen to our panel discussion in Brussels bringing together representatives from civil society and European political institutions. The conversation explores the persistent disconnect between institutions and practitioners in the fight against antisemitism. The panelists discuss why this gap remains despite a shared commitment to cooperation and share ideas for strengthening communication, trust, and collaboration across sectors and borders.

For feedback or comments, write us.

****

Moderator: Jonas Fegert | Speakers: Friso Roscam-Abbing, Teona Dalakishvili, Basya Gartenstein, Joanna Podolska-Płocka, Abdou El Kaoukabi | Audio-Edit: Gal Yaron Mayersohn | Editing: Nihal Çalışır, Amina Ahmed | Music: Hopeful Start by John Bartmann is licensed under a CC0 1.0 Universal License | Illustration: Saskia Schlarmann | Project Lead: Jo Frank, Johanna Korneli | © 2026 DialoguePerspectives e.V. | https://against-antisemitism.eu/ | Insta: dialogueperspectives_epna

Report on the EPNA Workshop
“The EU Framework as a Model? Supranational Approaches to Combating Antisemitism”

The summer workshop of the European Practitioners Network against Antisemitism (EPNA) in Brussels significantly advanced the network’s position as a transnational platform for policy exchange in a geopolitical context characterised by shifting power dynamics across Europe and beyond, one in which pressures towards re-nationalised policy approaches stand in tension with continued commitments to supranational coordination. In this setting, EPNA offered a forum to assess the resilience and relevance of European frameworks in addressing contemporary forms of antisemitism and to bring them into dialogue with international networks within the US, Israel and the WANA region.

Building on the internationalisation process initiated at the previous EPNA workshop in Barcelona, the Brussels meeting explored the strengths and limitations of the European framework for combating antisemitism. Bringing together 35 participants from Europe, Israel, Morocco and the United States, the workshop provided an opportunity to exchange perspectives across different political and societal contexts and to reflect on what Europe can learn from experiences in other regions.

The workshop pursued two overarching objectives: first, to continue the development of policy briefs addressing key challenges in the field of combating antisemitism; and second, to further examine the relationship between European institutions and civil society practitioners and their respective roles in addressing antisemitism.

The event was realised with funding from the German Federal Foreign Office and in cooperation with the European Union of Jewish Students and received valuable support from the German Embassy in Brussels and the Permanent Representation of the Federal Republic of Germany to the European Union.

The European Framework in Practice

As a network bringing together more than 100 member organisations from across Europe and an increasing number of international partners, EPNA provides a platform for practitioners to exchange experiences, develop joint initiatives and strengthen civil society responses to antisemitism.

Brussels offered a particularly appropriate setting for this discussion. As the political centre of the European Union and home to many of the institutions shaping European approaches to combating antisemitism, the city provided participants with an opportunity to engage directly with actors involved in policy development and implementation.

A central programme element was a Q&A session with Katharina von Schnurbein, European Commission Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life. Reflecting on developments throughout her tenure, she shared insights into the challenges of coordinating efforts across different European contexts and discussed how the landscape has evolved, particularly since 7 October 2023. Participants also learned about positive developments, including the fact that 24 European countries have now adopted national strategies against antisemitism. The discussion provided participants with an opportunity to openly address challenges from their own professional contexts and engage directly with the European Commission.

Networking and Training

The programme opened with a networking-oriented speed-dating session designed to strengthen connections among participants and support the continued integration of new international members into the network.

Another important component was a discrimination awareness training led by Josh Dubell, a representative of Solutions not Sides (United Kingdom). The session introduced participants to the organisation’s educational approach and focused on addressing antisemitism without losing sight of broader dynamics of racism and discrimination – particularly in contexts shaped by the Middle East conflict. Given the relevance of these issues for many practitioners in the field, the training provided valuable perspectives for navigating complex and often polarised debates.

Working Groups and Policy Brief Development

During the workshop the participants conducted the second stage of a three-step process aimed at developing policy briefs that will serve as practical advocacy tools for civil society organisations.

While the first phase in Barcelona focused on mapping challenges and analysing the current situation in four thematic areas, the Brussels workshop concentrated on identifying and refining the core problems underlying these challenges. Participants worked towards identifying a limited number of core problems that will serve as the basis for future policy recommendations.

The working group topics are:

• Holocaust education and combating Holocaust denial
• Antisemitism in schools and universities; antisemitism among teenagers and young adults
• The intersectionality of antisemitism, racism, conspiracy ideologies and misogyny
• Online antisemitism, fake news and online radicalisation

The results developed in Brussels will serve as the basis for the final phase of the process. Ahead of the EPNA workshop in London in October, the working groups will finalise their policy briefs and formulate recommendations intended for publication and public presentation later this year.

Public Panel and Outreach

The workshop included a semi-public panel discussion titled “Closing the Gap: EU Institutions and Civil Society Practitioners on Combating Antisemitism”, which brought together workshop participants and members of the broader public. The event was attended by more than 50 participants from civil society organisations, political institutions, academia, the Jewish community, and a group of attachés from the Federal Foreign Office.

The evening was opened by Ambassador Thomas Ossowski of the Permanent Representation of the Federal Republic of Germany. The panel featured Friso Roscam-Abbing (European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights), Teona Dalakishvili (Creative Development Center, Georgia), Basya Gartenstein (Bruno-Kreisky-Forum, Austria), Joanna Podolska-Płocka (University of Łódź, Poland) and Abdou El Kaoukabi (Association Mimouna, Morocco). The discussion was moderated by Jonas Fegert (FZI – Research Center for Information Technology, Germany).

A central theme of the discussion was the perceived disconnect between political and administrative institutions on the one hand and civil society practitioners on the other. Participants explored why this gap continues to exist despite broad agreement on the importance of cooperation and discussed possible approaches to strengthening communication and coordination. Among other points, Friso Roscam-Abbing highlighted ongoing efforts within the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights to institutionalise dialogue with civil society actors and ensure that their perspectives are more systematically incorporated into policy processes.

Outlook and Strategic Significance

The EPNA workshop “The EU Framework as a Model? Supranational Approaches to Combating Antisemitism” represented an important milestone in the network’s annual work cycle. Positioned between the foundational discussions in Barcelona and the finalisation of outputs in London, the Brussels workshop translated broad problem analyses into more focused and actionable frameworks.

The workshop highlighted both the potential and the limitations of supranational approaches to combating antisemitism, including the persistent gap between European-level frameworks and their uneven implementation across national contexts. Participants emphasised the importance of ensuring that policy development remains closely connected to the experiences of practitioners working on the ground.

As EPNA prepares for its third workshop of the year in London, the network will focus on finalising its policy briefs and presenting concrete recommendations to a wider public, marking the culmination of this year’s process of transregional exchange and civil society advocacy. Supported by the German Federal Foreign Office, EPNA will continue to strengthen civil society cooperation against antisemitism across Europe and beyond.

For further information, please contact:
Florian Eisheuer | EPNA Programme Lead
Email: practitionersnetwork@dialogueperspectives.org

Fotos: Tommaso Salvadori

As part of our podcast series introducing the projects of this year’s European Alliance Programme (EAP), we continue to spotlight the people and ideas driving meaningful change across Europe.

In this episode of United Against Antisemitism, we explore the transformative project “How to talk when the world tells us to hate each other?” led by Jolanta Lechowska-Białecka and the HaKoach Association in Poland. This initiative addresses the urgent need for respectful dialogue in a time of growing polarization and hate speech across Europe.

Through a series of public discussions, expert panels, and an art exhibition, the project invited participants to engage in empathetic conversations about sensitive topics such as antisemitism, racism, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Jolanta shares insights on the challenges and successes of fostering constructive dialogue, the importance of linking contemporary issues to a culture of remebrance, and the power of community engagement in promoting understanding.

For feedback or comments, write us.

***

Intro: Bethany Odd | Moderator: Nicole Schweiß | Speaker: Jolanta Lechowska-Bialecka | Audio-Edit: Gal Yaron Mayersohn | Music: Hopeful Start by John Bartmann is licensed under a CC0 1.0 Universal License | Illustration: Saskia Schlarmann | Editing: Nihal Çalışır | Project Lead: Florian Eisheuer, Johanna Korneli, Jo Frank | © 2026 DialoguePerspectives e.V. | https://against-antisemitism.eu/⁠ | insta: dialogueperspectives_epna

As part of our podcast series introducing the projects of this year’s European Alliance Programme (EAP), we continue to spotlight the people and ideas driving meaningful change across Europe.

In this episode, moderated by Nicole Schweiß, she talks with Eszter Susán from the Tom Lantos Institute about their project Walk the Talk — an initiative that developed an interactive walking tour in the historic Jewish quarter of Budapest, combining elements of drama pedagogy with an audiowalk set in 1944. Beyond confronting a difficult past, the project enables participants to understand the impact of antisemitism and explore how resistance and solidarity can be used to counter it.

Over the coming weeks, all EAP projects will be introduced here and featured in this podcast series, sharing insights into their ideas, challenges, and visions for a more inclusive future.

For feedback or comments, write us.

***

Intro: Bethany Odd I Moderator: Nicole Schweiß | Speaker: Eszter Susán | Audio-Edit: Gal Yaron Mayersohn | Music: Hopeful Start by John Bartmann is licensed under a CC0 1.0 Universal License I Illustration: Saskia Schlarmann | Editing: Nihal Çalışır | Project Lead: Jo Frank, Johanna Korneli | © 2026 DialoguePerspectives e.V. | https://against-antisemitism.eu/⁠ | Insta: dialogueperspectives_epna

Call for Applications

The EU Framework as a Model? Supranational Approaches to Combating Antisemitism

2- 4 June 2026 | Brussels, Belgium

EPNA’s three-day workshop brings together practitioners from Europe, the WANA region, and transatlantic and Abraham Accords contexts to examine EU institutional frameworks and explore what supranational policy approaches to antisemitism prevention can offer — and where they fall short.

Antisemitism does not respect national borders — and policies designed within them are not simply inadequate, they are structurally ill-suited to the challenge they aim to address. Effective responses must therefore operate at a level that matches the scale and reach of the problem. EU institutions offer a concrete and instructive example of supranational policymaking in action. But “instructive” cuts both ways: alongside genuine achievements, EU frameworks also reveal significant gaps — in implementation, in reach, and in their ability to incorporate the lived experience of practitioners working on the ground.

This is where networks like EPNA have a critical role to play — not only in engaging with existing policy frameworks, but in actively shaping them: accompanying policy development from early stages, surfacing what institutional approaches miss or distort, and insisting that practitioner knowledge be treated as a primary source rather than an afterthought.

The workshop will explore the following questions:

• How do EU institutions and frameworks function in the fight against antisemitism — and where do they fall short?
• What can actors inside and outside Europe learn from EU approaches, including from their failures and blind spots?
• How do the experiences of European organisations differ from those in the WANA region or the United States — and what do these differences reveal about the limits of EU-centric models?
• How can networks like EPNA accompany and critically inform policy processes, rather than simply responding to them?
• How can international cooperation strengthen supranational approaches — and how do we ensure that policy briefs reflect practitioner realities, not just institutional logics?

The programme combines expert input, working group sessions, and structured exchange, with a strong emphasis on practical relevance and constructive-critical policy discussion. A panel discussion on the second day forms a central element of the agenda. Participants will also advance the collaborative development of Policy Briefs — with EPNA’s cross-border practitioner network positioned as a key resource for grounding these documents in lived experience and diverse regional perspectives.

The workshop is realized in cooperation with the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS), CEJI – A Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive Europe, and with the support of the European Commission’s Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life.

Date and Location

• Location: Brussels, Belgium
• Start: June 2, 1.00 pm
• End: June 4, 1.00 pm

Cost & Logistics

Different to prior workshops: Accommodation will be self-booked. We can reimburse a max of 282€ for the workshop incl. breakfast. Further details will follow with the confirmation.

Travel costs will be reimbursed by us. More detailed information about travel costs and reimbursement will be provided after the selection process. Please be aware that we will ask you to make your travel arrangements within 10 days after the confirmation and share your invoice with us.

Responsible for the Workshop

• Florian Eisheuer, Programme Lead
• Amina Ahmed, Programme Manager

Applications are open until 17 April. Please submit your application via the following form.

We aim to bring together a diverse and balanced group of participants. Selection will therefore take into account motivation, relevant expertise, and the geographic and organisational diversity of applicants.

This podcast episode is a recording of the panel discussion “Antisemitism & Racism – Intersectional Approaches and Civil Society Responses.” with Veronica Sartore (Yad be Yad, Germany), Eva Fortes (Advisor to the Barcelona City Council), and Enerida Isuf (Consell Municipal del Poble Gitano, tbc), and moderated by Victor Sorenssen (AEPJ).

The panel examines both the distinct features and the intersecting logics of antisemitism and racism, exploring where they overlap, where they diverge, and how these issues can be addressed together in analytically sound and practically meaningful ways. It also reflects on the opportunities and challenges of developing joint approaches and their implications for alliances within civil society.

For feedback or comments, write us.

***

Intro: Bethany Odd I Moderator: Victor Sorenssen | Speaker: Veronica Sartore, Eva Fortes, Enerida Isuf | Audio-Edit: Gal Yaron Mayersohn | Music: Hopeful Start by John Bartmann is licensed under a CC0 1.0 Universal License | Illustration: Saskia Schlarmann | Editing: Nihal Çalışır | Project Lead: Florian Eisheuer, Johanna Korneli, Jo Frank | © 2026 DialoguePerspectives e.V. | https://against-antisemitism.eu/ |⁠ Insta: dialogueperspectives_epna

Last year, we launched CrossLines as a pilot project. CrossLines is EPNA’s dedicated platform connecting journalists and media companies with practitioners from our network who are actively engaged in combating antisemitism. CrossLines strengthens responsible and differentiated reporting on antisemitism through training, exchange and practical tools for journalists.

Following the pilot’s success, CrossLines will be continued within EPNA’s work, reflecting the urgent need for responsible and differentiated reporting on antisemitism in the current societal context. We will keep you informed about upcoming developments, events and opportunities.