EUJS
European Union of Jewish Students speak out at the UN Human Rights Council.

For the fourth consecutive year, the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) brought a student delegation to the Human Rights Council in Geneva. The delegation expressed its concern about the upcoming Durban Review Conference and spoke out against Human Rights violations around the world.

The EUJS delegation met with several heads of diplomatic missions in order to express their concern over the integrity of the upcoming Durban Review Conference, and spoke with the Slovenian, German, Finish, Turkish, Italian, and Egyptian Ambassadors to the United Nations.

"We do support, in principle, the next international conference against racism. However we would ask for your vigilance. The Previous conference organized in Durban, in 2001, was a disastrous failure and showed with which ease some countries and NGO's diverted, canted, and trampled the fundamental values of the United Nations" said EUJS delegate Lisa Levy, addressing the Human Rights Council of on Wednesday.

A delegation of Jewish students, lead by former EUJS Chairperson Joelle Fiss, was present at the UN World Conference Against Racism in Durban in 2001 which turned into a spectacle of hatred and demonization, reawakening an entire panoply of anti-Semitic stereotypes. EUJS is deeply concerned that the Durban Review Conference will once again become a venue for Anti-Semitic vitriol.

Through its commitment to diplomatic engagement, EUJS is dedicated to supporting the voice of Jewish youth at the UN and strives to take an active role in the upcoming preparatory meetings for the Review Conference of the World Conference Against Racism and in speaking out with against human rights abuses and injustice.

The EUJS delegation included Lisa Levy (France), Margherita Sacerdoti (Italy), Aviva Guttman (Switzerland), Ruben Koekoek (the Netherlands) and EUJS vice-Chair, Aleksander Belevski (Serbia). The delegation was assisted and supported by United Nations Watch and Stand With Us.

Watch the EUJS address to the Human Rights Council (Realplayer only):
English: 
rtsp://webcast.un.org/ondemand/conferences/unhrc/seventh/hrc080319am-eng.rm?start=02:55:15&end=02:58:25

French: Original version
rtsp://webcast.un.org/ondemand/conferences/unhrc/seventh/hrc080319am-orig.rm?start=02:55:15&end=02:58:25

EUJS
European Union of Jewish Students and Italian Union of Jewish Students Delegates Meet with Pope Benedict XVI at Vatican City, Call for Increased Action on Darfur

Today a delegation of 30 Jewish student activists, representing 30 national Jewish Unions from across Europe, met with Pope Benedict XVI in Vatican City. The delegation, organized by the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) and the Italian Union of Jewish Students (UGEI), handed the Pope a personal letter signed by all 30 delegates calling upon him to use his great moral and political influence to call for an end to the human rights atrocities taking place in Darfur.

In the letter the delegates mentioned the shared religious beliefs of both Judaism and Christianity in the inherent value of each human being as being created in the `Image of G’d.’ The letter urged the Pope to “Make your views known on the abuse of women and children. Use your unparalleled moral voice to advocate for the human dignity of the victims of this conflict. Finally, and most importantly, please use your political influence to urge strong and immediate international intervention in order to end the conflict and let the Darfuri people live in peace and prosperity.”

This letter followed a day of activism for Darfur at Summer University, the largest annual gathering of Jewish youth in Europe, which brought more than 450 Jewish student and youth from 40 countries across the continent to Rome. During the Day for Darfur participants heard from refuges from Darfur, as well as from Lotte Leicht, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch in Europe, and James Smith, Founder of Aegis Trust. At the end of the day the participants released 450 green balloons into the air symbolizing the hope of the Darfuri people to live in peace and prosperity.

EUJS
450 Jewish Youth and Students battle for the Darfuri people at Summer University in Italy, the largest annual Jewish Youth event in Europe

On Tuesday August 28th near Rome, Italy, more than 450 Jewish student and youth from 40 European countries will battle for Darfur in the shadow of their own history and the tragedy of II World War, and while crying out “Never Again,” as part of the events of Summer University 2007, the largest annual Jewish youth event in Europe held since 1983 and organized by the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS).

As part of its ongoing campaign for Darfur, the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) and the Italian Union of Jewish Students (UGEI) will devote an entire day to raising awareness and planning activities of its members from across the continent:

TUESDAY, 28th AUGUST 2007 – DAY FOR DARFUR
11:00 Movie on the situation in Darfur, by Aegis Trust
11:00 – 11:15 Introductory Address by
Arielle Herzog, EUJS Program and Development Director
11:15 – 12:00 Address by Mrs. Lotte Leicht, European Director of the Human Rights Watch
16:00 – 17:00 Testimonies of Darfuri refugees followed by an interactive discussion
17:15 – 18:15 workshops by:
Mr. Leo Sorge, the representative of the Italian Coalition for Darfur
Dr. James Smith, a co-founder and Chief Executive of the Aegis Trust (UK based non-governmental organization established to examine genocide and its prevention and also the co-founder of The UK Holocaust Centre) and
Mrs. Shoshana Bloom, the International Darfur Campaign Leader for the Aegis Trust
18:30 symbolic action in which participants will release 450 green balloons into the sky

As Jews and young people we believe it to be our duty to raise awareness and send a strong message of peace and against genocide and human catastrophes anywhere in the world. For the past two years we have therefore joined forces with our Tutsi and Darfuri colleagues and have been working on raising awareness on the horrific situation in Darfur.

Chaim Landau
EUJS supports the Union of Jewish Students in the United Kingdom in their struggle concerning the decision of the University and College Union to boycott Israeli academia

The European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) and its member unions in 34 countries across Europe strongly condemn the resolution passed on May 30th by the University and College Union (UCU) in the United Kingdom to boycott Israeli academics and institutions. Such boycotts only hinder the pursuit of peace, and make a mockery of the idea of academic freedom.

EUJS is ready to give any assistance necessary to its member union – the Union of Jewish Students of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland (UJS), in its struggle against this unjust and one sided resolution. As former UJS chair Jonathan Levy wrote in a recent letter to Ms. Sally Hunt, General Secretary of the UCU

“It is clear that a boycott will do nothing to benefit the Palestinian cause, but serves only
to harm academia in general and the credibility of the newly formed UCU. This assault
on academic freedom is punishing the most progressive sector of Israeli society, and
damaging the voices for peace so often promoted by Jewish groups at universities
across the country.
Whether a Jewish lecturer or student is supportive or otherwise of Israeli government
policy, they are viewed by others as a face of Israel. The passing of this motion, and the
campaigning it instructs your NEC to carry out, therefore has the potential to negatively
affect every Jew on campus.”

EUJS and all its member unions therefore will make every effort to assist the UJS and its new chair Jessica Truman in their struggle against this resolution, and to fight across Europe for an academic environment that is truly pro peace, non discriminatory, and where academic freedom and integrity are fully respected.

The European Union of Jewish Students, the sole democratically elected voice of European Jewish youth at the European level and at the European Youth Forum, is one of the largest international student organizations worldwide and the first Jewish Youth NGO to obtain the special Consultative Status to the ECOSOC of the United Nations. Its annual programming includes the Summer University , international, inter-religious, inter-generational seminars, study sessions at the European Youth Centre, and cutting edge work that puts it at the forefront of the European context.

EUJS
EUJS shocked and outraged after attack on Geneva synagogue

Global Day for Darfur - 10dec2006

Press release sent to the Belgium Media and the International one, regarding the demonstration of the 10th of December for the second Global Day for Darfur focusing on the situation of Woman.
The demonstration was held in Brussels, Belgium

Read more(PDF)