Groundbreaking Certification Trains Leaders to Confront Antisemitism
The fight against antisemitism demands knowledge, courage, and mobilization. With this conviction, the Brazilian Israelite Confederation (CONIB) celebrated on Tuesday (23), at Unibes Cultural in São Paulo, the conclusion of the first class of the Certification in Confronting Antisemitism — a pioneering initiative created to prepare multipliers capable of recognizing, understanding, and combating prejudice in its many forms.
The event marked the end of a journey that began in March with the program’s launch at the Albert Einstein Teaching and Research Center. Over months of study, reflection, and exchange of experiences, 190 participants from diverse fields — including educators, lawyers, doctors, community leaders, professionals, and opinion-makers — received comprehensive training on contemporary challenges related to antisemitism.
The learning platform brought together leading national and international experts, who addressed essential topics for understanding antisemitism today, such as its history, geopolitics and anti-Zionism, legal aspects of combating discrimination, strategic communication, counter-narratives, and tackling hate speech in digital environments.
More than transmitting knowledge, the certification was designed to inspire action. Its goal is to empower individuals to act within their own spheres of influence — whether professional, academic, community, or institutional — contributing to a society better equipped to confront prejudice, value diversity, and strengthen democratic principles.
The opening remarks were delivered by CONIB’s executive director, Sergio Napchan, who emphasized the strategic importance of the project and the institution’s ongoing commitment to combating antisemitism and hate speech. He also highlighted the role of partner organizations that contributed to the initiative’s success, including the ECO Group – CONIB Ambassadors, the Brazil-Israel Medical Association (AMBI), StandWithUs Brazil (partner in the hackathon), and the Latin American Jewish Congress (CJL).
“This is the first edition of the course, and we are committed to listening carefully to all participants to improve the next stages. Every observation and suggestion will be considered so we can further expand the impact of this initiative,” Napchan stated.
The program was coordinated by Deborah Sutton Chammah, Education Director at StandWithUs Brazil, who led group presentations and discussions. Facilitators included Anelise Froes, Joana Zlot, Mirella Radomysler, Augusto Lerner, Hanna Nusbaum, Sergio Napchan, and Chammah herself.
The proposals presented by the groups were evaluated by a panel of recognized experts: Andre Lajst, Executive President of StandWithUs Brazil; Rony Vainzof, CONIB Secretary; Andrea Vainer, CONIB’s Legal Director; and Marc Tawil, CONIB Director. In addition to assessing the suggestions, the panel enriched the debates with practical experiences, legal analyses, and reflections on the current challenges of confronting prejudice.
Source: Conib
