Speeches

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, it is essential to recognise that the European Union has always condemned all forms of racial hatred and anti-Semitism, not least because of its deep roots. The explosion of conflicts last October and the threat of religious and political radicalism have generated a new wave of hatred towards the Israeli people, rekindling hotbeds of anti-Semitism that have never been completely extinguished. We have a duty to develop effective strategies to counter these phenomena and hence the importance of the strategy against racial hatred and anti-Semitism. In addition to preventing and combating hatred, we must promote political dialogue and interreligious dialogue, which is a key element for peaceful and inclusive coexistence. We must create spaces for dialogue and raising citizens' awareness of our common history, using digital technologies in our favour, which too often are used to spread hatred and violence. All these phenomena represent a serious threat to the freedom and dignity of all, so we must encourage all European states to follow virtuous examples of coexistence.