IRD Activities

• Dialogue of Civilizations Program

  From the moment of its inception, the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress sees the development of dialogue between peoples and religions as one of its central tasks. This task results both from the unique geographical position of the Congress and the desire of our prominent precursors to find a common tongue with the peoples among whom Jews have lived, live now, and will live in the future. EAJC believes that dialogue between civilisations, which occurs on all levels and in different forms in different regions of the world, is one of the most effective ways to lower the grade of inter-ethnic and interfaith tension. The EAJC was one of the originators of a unique modern institution the Forum of World and Traditional Religions, which gathers once every three years in Astana. International Peace and Accord Conferences were also conducted at EAJC initiative, as well as interfaith conferences and seminars in different countries of the Eurasian region. When the EAJC President meets with religious and political leaders, he always includes on the agenda the task of geographical expansion of dialogue, an increase in the number of its participants, and a heightening of the level of representation. The unique summer camps “Sources of Tolerance” are also filled with the ideas of dialogue. These camps are conducted by the Congress in different countries of Eurasia. Children of different nationalities and faiths who attend the camps are immersed into each other's cultures, languages, and religious traditions

• Fostering Tolerance Program

  One of the priority directions of activity for the EAJC is the realisation of programmes aimed at the development of international and interfaith dialogues, as well as fostering tolerance among youth. One of the central programmes in this direction includes a number of projects on tolerance that are being carried out in a partnership with the Congress of National Communities of Ukraine. These projects include the international children's summer camp 'Roots of Tolerance', Clubs of Tolerance, as well as other seminars and educational programmes. In 2002, the annual children's summer camp 'Roots of Tolerance' started its work. The camp uses a unique method of submersion: according to its concept, all participants live each day as if they were representatives of a new culture. The camp also holds an Independence Day, a Memory Day for the tragedies of Ukraine's peoples, Human Rights Day, and Citizen Day. The goal of the project is to foster interethnic and interfaith tolerance in children and youth, to counteract xenophobia, to form an active civil position in representatives of national communities, and to spread knowledge about the national and religious diversity of Ukraine. Each year from 100 to 200 children from different national communities rest and learn at the camp, including Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, countries of the Southern Caucasus, as well as child refugees from Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, and other countries

• Tolerance - Lessons of the Holocaust Program

  The most effective way to prevent intolerance in society is to foster tolerance. The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress offers the Jewish communities of Eurasia the Tolerance – Lessons of the Holocaust project, the implementation of which is important not only in those states where interethnic tension exists, but also in those desiring to preserve their peace and neighbourliness. The aim of this programme is to raise responsible citizens who will keep an open mind on religions, traditions, cultures of other peoples, and are going to be capable of valuing freedom, respecting human dignity, and individuality, as well as forestalling conflicts or solving them nonviolently. The Tolerance – Lessons of the Holocaust educational programme consists of a system of seminars for teachers and lecturers of non-Jewish secondary schools and employees of various other educational institutions in CIS states. The Tolerance - Lessons of the Holocaust programme is aimed to foster positive national identity among teenagers, to form the ability to protect human rights, and to protest against all forms of discrimination, and thus contributes to forming foundations of national and religious tolerance, responsibility, and compassion

• Children’s Camp

  Camp “Integration” is an international project for children with disabilities. The city camp serves as a platform for the integration of families with special children into society and the Jewish community. This project has existed at the Moscow Jewish Community House since 2004. The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress has been actively supporting the camp’s activities for several years and assisting in the implementation of activities that help to ensure social adaptation of families in order to establish constructive contacts with the outside world. In addition, the camp promotes backward integration, when ordinary children who interact with special children within the framework of projects become more open, tolerant, understanding, and accepting "other" children. The desire and readiness to help them whenever possible is formed. Unjustified fears and prejudice disappear.

Main Focus Countries of Activities

Ukraine - Russian Federation - Moldova - Azerbaijan - Armenia - Belarus - Bulgaria - Georgia - India - Kazakhstan - Kyrgyzstan - Macedonia - Mongolia - Myanmar - New Zealand - Singapore - Slovenia - Turkmenistan - Uzbekistan - Philippines - Japan - Tajikistan - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Serbia - Montenegro - Ukraine - Bakuriani, Georgia - Tbilisi, Georgia - Chisinau, Moldova - Valui Lui Vode, Moldova - Armenia - Belarus - Georgia - Moldova - Ukraine - Kazakhstan - Kyrgyzstan - Uzbekistan - Moscow, Russia