Strategies to Counter Antisemitism: A Handbook for Educators

Education is the first line of defence against hate and prejudice. By targeting the root causes of hate ideologies, deconstructing the stereotypes that underlie them from an early age, and promoting inclusive models, education is the keystone of a holistic approach to combating discrimination. Tackling antisemitism through education requires tailored content that addresses its complex, shifting and multilayered forms, both past and present.

Acknowledging the topic’s complexity and the paucity of resources available to education stakeholders, this concise guide developed by UNESCO and funded by the European Commission aims to provide a roadmap for policymakers, curriculum developers and educators on current approaches and initiatives. It presents ten educational practices, each grounded in academic literature and illustrated by a promising educational initiative that operationalizes core pedagogical principles. The handbook is built around the three core learning domains which inform UNESCO’s approach to Global Citizenship Education: cognitive, socio-emotional, and behavioural learning.

Conceived as an accessible operational guide for practitioners, this resource sets out to start a larger conversation about the needs of educators for tackling contemporary forms of antisemitism. It aims to encourage investments in high-quality empirical research that can pave the way for a better approach to combat antisemitism.