A total of 78 entities across the globe adopted or endorsed the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism in the first half of 2023, according data compiled by the CAM Antisemitism Research Center.
This brought the overall number of IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism adoptions and endorsements worldwide to 1,192, representing a broad array of international institutions and organizations, national and local governments, NGOs, universities, athletic clubs, and corporations that have embraced the definition as a framework for recognizing modern-day iterations of Jew-hatred, training and educational programs, and policymaking initiatives.
The 78 adoptions and endorsements in January-June 2023 marked 85.7% of the 91 adoptions in all of 2022, making it likely 2023’s total will surpass last year’s.
Classified by category, new adoptions and endorsements in 2023 have included two countries, 33 non-national governmental bodies, seven educational institutions, one private organization, and 35 public organizations.
Adoptions by Latvia and Croatia increased the number of IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism-backing countries to 41.
The IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism is a major tool in the fight against Jew-hatred that continues to be adopted by a variety of entities around the world. After all, if we want to fight antisemitism we must first define it!
Learn more 👉 https://t.co/jKQNQOgwi5 pic.twitter.com/VxrV1AGbBM
— Combat Antisemitism Movement (@CombatASemitism) January 24, 2023
In the United States, Arkansas and North Dakota raised the total number of American states to have adopted or endorsed the definition to 32.
Arkansas Governor @SarahHuckabee signed into law a bill making @TheIHRA definition of antisemitism the state’s official definition of anti-Jewish bias and discrimination. 👏https://t.co/eBKRD1yXg7 pic.twitter.com/njK9oH7ZV2
— Combat Antisemitism Movement (@CombatASemitism) February 28, 2023
At the regional and municipal levels globally, prominent adoptees included: the Latin American Parliament; Region of Piedmont, Italy; Kansas City, Missouri; Westchester County, New York; Florence, Italy; South Bend, Indiana; Cincinnati, Ohio; Boca Raton, Florida; Dallas, Texas; Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada; Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Province of Jujuy, Argentina, among others.
#KansasCity, #Missouri has joined the 1,100+ entities around the world that are fighting the rise in global Jew-hatred by adopting @TheIHRA Working Definition of #Antisemitism! 💪
See the 2022 IHRA report for more details: https://t.co/2NzGQjSRWf pic.twitter.com/uzXdeV35TG
— Combat Antisemitism Movement (@CombatASemitism) January 22, 2023
The Supreme Court of Justice of Buenos Aires, Argentina, also adopted the definition.
Educational institutions included: the University of Melbourne (Australia); University of Split (Croatia); Boston University (Student Government); University of Mortar (Bosnia and Herzegovina); Monash University (Australia); University of Zagreb Senate (Croatia); ant the Catholic University of Santa María la Antigua (Panama).
Of the 35 adoptions and endorsements by public organizations, 28 came from Poland in a collective response to a 2021 antisemitic incident.
The IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism says, “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
The non-legally binding definition includes 11 explanatory examples detailing specific discriminatory behaviors targeting Jews.
For more information on past data, please see the “IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism 2022 Adoptions & Endorsements Report,” published in January by CAM and Tel Aviv University’s Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry, here.
CAM’s full dataset on IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism adoptions and endorsements can be accessed here.
