Museum Renews Call for Support of International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's Working Definition of Antisemitism

WASHINGTON, DC – As our nation’s Holocaust memorial and educational institution and part of the United States Government delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum renews its call for broad adoption of IHRA’s working definition of antisemitism. 

“Antisemitism was a dangerous and growing global threat long before the October 7 Hamas terror attack against Israel. Since then, threats to Jews, including violence, have accelerated dramatically, resulting in worldwide public displays of antisemitism that we once thought had ended with the Holocaust and the commitment to Never Again,” said Museum Chair Stuart E. Eizenstat. “Adoption of the IHRA definition, as the Museum called for in 2016, is more critical now than ever and an important step that can help counter this alarming trend, which requires the active participation of all sectors of society.”

IHRA, founded with significant leadership from the US Government, is an intergovernmental body of 35 member countries and nine observer countries dedicated to Holocaust memory and education. It is the only intergovernmental organization with a mandated focus on addressing contemporary challenges related to the Holocaust and the genocide of the Roma. It fosters education, remembrance, and research about what happened in the past to build a world without genocide in the future. IHRA is devoted to building an international community, establishing and strengthening political commitment, and setting standards and developing tools. The IHRA adopted this working definition of antisemitism in 2016 to guide its work and educate and sensitize others to the need to confront antisemitism. 

A nonpartisan federal, educational institution, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is America’s national memorial to the victims of the Holocaust, dedicated to ensuring the permanence of Holocaust memory, understanding, and relevance. Through the power of Holocaust history, the Museum challenges leaders and individuals worldwide to think critically about their role in society and to confront antisemitism and other forms of hate, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity. For more information, visit ushmm.org.