Foreign Diplomats Discuss ADL Global Survey

  • September 10, 2014
Pictured:  Consul General Casiro of Argentina, National Chair Barry Curtiss-Lusher, Regional Director Amanda Susskind and Consul General Cruau of France. (not pictured:  Consul General Herrera-Lim of the Philippines)

Consuls General from three continents discussed ADL Global 100: A Survey of Attitudes Toward Jews in Over 100 Countries Around the World at the Regional Board meeting held September 9.  National Chair Barry Curtiss-Lusher moderated the panel of Consuls General from Argentina, France and the Philippines.

The results of this unprecedented worldwide survey of anti-Semitic attitudes were released in May after surveying 53,100 adults in 102 countries and territories in an effort to establish, for the first time, a comprehensive data-based research survey of the level and intensity of anti-Jewish sentiment across the world.

The survey found that anti-Semitic attitudes are persistent and pervasive around the world. More than one-in-four adults, 26 percent of those surveyed, are deeply infected with anti-Semitic attitudes.  This figure represents an estimated 1.09 billion people around the world.

The overall ADL Global 100 Index score represents the percentage of respondents who answered “probably true” to six or more of 11 negative stereotypes about Jews.

The three countries represented on the panel were on various ends of the spectrum of “index scores” of anti-Semitism —  France with 37%, Argentina with 24% and the Philippines with 3%, the second lowest index of any country (only Laos measured lower levels of anti-Semitism).

Each Consul General had the opportunity to discuss the survey results for his country and what his country is doing to promote education and understanding of diversity.

Consul General Alejandro Luis Casiro of Argentina believes that the lower rate of anti-Semitism among the younger generation points to the success of education programs in his country.  He emphasized that Holocaust Education is stressed from a very young age for students and educators.

The figures from France are the opposite – with the younger generation showing higher levels of anti-Semitism.  Consul General Axel Cruau explained that this could be because more of the younger population is influenced by satellite TV, including from Arab countries, and by social media.  Also, younger French citizens are represented in the radicalized left and right which tends to skew towards anti-Israel and anti-Semitic sentiments.  CG Cruau also spoke openly about the number of Jews leaving France for Israel as there have been a rise of anti-Semitic incidents and violence and stated, with emotion, that “attacks against Jews are attacks against the Republic.”

Consul General Leo M. Herrera-Lim of the Philippines expressed pride in being among the countries with the lowest levels of anti-Semitism.  However, he explained that the reason his country had among the lowest levels of awareness of the Holocaust was because under the Marcos dictatorship books, films and TV shows that dealt with the Holocaust were banned, so an entire generation did not learn about it.  He added that there is little widespread knowledge of any of the atrocities of World War II in his country.