9 Efforts against antisemitism outside of Norway

In many countries outside of Norway, there has been a sharp increase in antisemitism since 7 October 2023. Antisemitism is a global phenomenon and increased international cooperation is needed. Norway will strengthen its efforts to combat antisemitism internationally.

Measure 19: Share Norway’s experience of combating antisemitism in international forums

Responsible: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

In 2016, Norway was one of the first countries to draw up a national action plan with specific measures against antisemitism. Norway also closely monitors the development of attitudes in the population through surveys that have been conducted every five years since 2012. This has enhanced our understanding of antisemitism and provided us with valuable experience regarding the effectiveness of various measures. Norway’s experience in combating antisemitism has helped develop and facilitate targeted measures in other countries. Norway will continue the work of strengthening efforts to combat antisemitism internationally, including by sharing our national experiences.

Norway has supported international efforts, led by the United States, to draft Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism. In 2024, Norway signed the Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism, along with around 40 other countries and organisations. 31

Measure 20: Support measures to combat antisemitism and safeguard Jewish cultural heritage within the framework of new EEA funding

Responsible: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Since 2012, Norway has funded measures to combat antisemitism and measures to enhance knowledge, multicultural understanding and the preservation of Jewish cultural heritage, primarily in Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The main focus of these efforts has been to ensure that Jewish heritage, as part of European culture and history, is not erased from memory. The EEA funds also make it possible to provide support to civil society in recipient countries and the countries’ efforts to combat antisemitism.

For the period May 2021 to April 2028, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein will contribute in excess of EUR 3.2 billion in grants to various projects in 15 recipient countries in the EU via EEA funds. The new agreement creates many opportunities for cooperation between Norwegian institutions and their counterparts in the 15 EU countries covered by the cooperation. Of particular importance is the cooperation with the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews. Close cooperation has already been established between the POLIN Museum and Norwegian institutions working on matters of Jewish cultural heritage, knowledge of European Jewish heritage and antisemitism. Within the framework of the EEA funding, work on non-discrimination and combating hate speech will also be a priority topic in the cooperation with international organisations and institutions, such as the Council of Europe and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights.

Measure 21: Strengthen efforts to combat antisemitism and Holocaust denial and distortion through international cooperation

Responsible: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Norway is working to strengthen efforts to combat antisemitism through participation in a number of organisations and alliances:

IHRA

The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) is an international network described in further detail in Chapter 3 of the Action Plan. The IHRA is an important international arena for the exchange of ideas, research and education on the Holocaust and antisemitism. The IHRA facilitates national commemorations of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is also marked annually in Norway. The Government will continue to participate and be an active contributor in the IHRA and cooperate to monitor and combat antisemitism internationally, through active participation in the IHRA and by taking a leading role in processes within the framework of the IHRA.

Council of Europe

Norway is an active contributor to the coordinated European efforts to combat antisemitism within the framework of the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe’s expertise and the Member States’ own measures are to work together to prevent antisemitic attitudes and actions. The fight against discrimination, including on grounds of religion or belief, has been at the core of the Council of Europe’s mandate from the outset. Over many years, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has developed competence and knowledge in this field. The Council of Europe also has a long tradition of supporting and contributing to the remembrance of Holocaust victims, an initiative which Norway actively supports.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

Norway is following up on the OSCE Ministerial Council’s 2014 Declaration on Enhancing Efforts to Combat Antisemitism. The Presidency has its own personal representative on combating antisemitism. The Representative visited Norway in 2023 and, among other things, provided an assessment of the Norwegian action plan against antisemitism. The OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) publishes data on antisemitism in dialogue with civil society via the website Hate Crime Report. The Government will cooperate closely with the OSCE and ODIHR in the future to combat hostility toward Jews and other religious groups.

The United Nations (UN)

Fulfilling the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is one of the Government’s overarching motivations for developing action plans, promoting tolerance and combatting discrimination. Norway’s efforts to promote freedom of religion or belief align with the central principle underpinning the SDGs’ pledge to ‘Leave No One Behind’. The UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief fulfils an important task in identifying religious intolerance and reporting on efforts by Member States to combat antisemitic discrimination, violence and hate speech. The Government views it as beneficial to continue and support the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur.

Measure 22: Address infringements of Jews’ right to freedom of religion or belief and intolerance toward Jews

Responsible: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Since 2013, freedom of religion or belief and the promotion of the rights of religious minorities have been high on the Norwegian foreign policy agenda. This work is an important component of Norway’s increased focus on combating religious intolerance, and takes place within the framework of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance (IRFBA). Together with partners both in Norway and internationally, the Alliance works to combat marginalisation and discrimination of religious and belief minorities, including Jews.