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The city of Hoyo de Manzanares — a northwestern suburb of Madrid — became the second Spanish municipality to formally adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism on Thursday, in a move welcomed by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM).
The adoption declaration — pledging Hoyo de Manzanares would combat all forms of contemporary antisemitism, as outlined by the IHRA definition‘s 11 illustrative examples — was signed by Mayor Victoria Barderas and Jewish Community of Madrid President Estrella Bengio. European Jewish Association (EJA) Public Affairs Manager Juan Caldés also participated Thursday’s official municipal ceremony.
Mayor Barderas said the Hoyo de Manzanares City Council was committed to “promoting initiatives aimed at combating antisemitism and defending human rights.” She noted the IHRA definition would be incorporated into the municipal code of conduct as a prevention and training tool.
Bengio said, “Antisemitism is a barometer for the state of society. What begins with hatred of Jews does not stop there — it spreads to other minorities and affects civic coexistence.”
🇪🇸 Hoyo de Manzanares, Spain, July 9, 2026: Under the leadership of Mayor Victoria Barderas @VickyeBar, the municipality of Hoyo de Manzanares @Ayto_Hoyo, in Madrid, has officially adopted the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism, the second municipality in Spain to do so. pic.twitter.com/DO70bINcLp
— Combat Antisemitism Movement (@CombatASemitism) July 12, 2026
Last month, the first adoption of the IHRA definition by a Spanish city took place in nearby Torrelodones.
CAM Executive Director of European Affairs Shannon Seban stated, “The decision by Hoyo de Manzanares to follow the path opened by Torrelodones is a powerful and encouraging sign. It shows that local leadership can make a real difference in the fight against antisemitism and that municipal authorities have the power to drive meaningful change in their communities.”
“These decisions also remind us that Spain is much more than the policies of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government,” Seban added. “Many local leaders are stepping forward to defend democratic values and stand firmly against antisemitism.”
As of the end of 2025, the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism had been adopted or endorsed by 1,330 entities — including international, national, region, state, and local governing authorities, civic bodies, NGOs, educational institutions, athletic leagues and clubs, and corporations — worldwide, according to a data compiled by CAM’s Antisemitism Research Center (ARC).
Read more:
European Mayors Unite in Paris to Confront Rising Antisemitism Across Continent
From Inquisition to Eurovision: Spain’s Long History of Antisemitism and the Politicization of Hate
