Dominican Republic and US Envoy: Education is Key Against Antisemitism

The Dominican Republic's Foreign Minister, Víctor 'Ito' Bisonó, and the U.S. Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism, Yehuda Kaploun, have jointly stressed the critical role of education in combating hate speech and antisemitism. Their meeting in Santo Domingo underscored a shared commitment to human dignity.

This convergence occurred just one day after the Dominican Republic formally announced its adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. The nation's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated its "conviction" in adhering to this definition, which describes antisemitism as a perception of Jews that can manifest as hatred, with both rhetorical and physical expressions targeting Jewish people, their property, community institutions, and places of worship.

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importance of education as "fundamental tool to combat hate in all its expressions"

Kaploun, who was in the Dominican capital to attend the VI Latin American Forum Against Antisemitism, expressed that "America is ready to support" its Latin American partners. The U.S. delegation also included the Chargé d'Affaires of the U.S. Embassy, William Swaney, and the head of the embassy's economic section, Ariel Jahner.

The Dominican government acknowledged its "concern over the resurgence of antisemitism in its various manifestations," viewing it as a direct threat to democratic coexistence, human rights, and the dignity of Jewish communities globally. The statement highlighted the country's "permanent commitment in the fight against all forms of hatred, discrimination, and religious intolerance." This stance has been consistent since 1938, when the Dominican Republic notably offered asylum to Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution in Sosúa.

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America is ready to support