An international research and practice conference titled “Multiculturalism and the Experience of Azerbaijan in Ethnocultural Interaction” has taken place in Azerbaijan.

On July 22, the annual “Eshnav” program opened at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. This program allows students, graduate students, and young scholars working in the field of Jewish Studies in the FSU to undertake a month’s on-site training in Israel.

On July 23, a working meeting was held on the premises of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) between the Secretary General of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, Professor Michael Chlenov and the Director of the RAS Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, RAS Fellow Valeriy Tishkov. Possiblities for EAJC and RAS joint projects in Jewish Studies were discussed at the meeting.

On July 21, the international inter-ethnic summer camp Roots of Tolerance finished its work in Moldova.

The first, junior session of the traditional international inter-ethnic children’s camp “Roots of Tolerance” began work on July 16, in the Chinadiyevo village of Zakarpatska Oblast. This unique project has been held by the Congress of National Communities of Ukraine (CNCU, Executive Vice President - Euro-Asian Jewish Congress General Council Chairman Josef Zisels, Executive Director - Anna Lenchovskaya) with the support of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) for twelve years now. In recent years, the Roots of Tolerance program has also been implemented in other FSU countries.

On July 9, the Sepher Center for the University Teaching of Jewish Studies (Director - EAJC General Council Chairman Dr. Victoria Mochalova, Chariman of the Academic Board - EAJC Secretary General, Professor Michael Chlenov) as well as the Research Center of the Jewish Museum and the Tolerance Center presented collections of papers based on the materials of Sefer Jewish Studies Field Schools that were held in 2012 in Latgalia and Belarus. The presentation was held at the XVIII International Youth Conference and Summer School in Jewish Studies.

On July 7-12, the Sepher Center for the University Teaching of Jewish Studies (Director - EAJC General Council Chairman Dr. Victoria Mochalova, Chariman of the Academic Board - EAJC Secretary General, Professor Michael Chlenov) held the XVIII International Youth Conference and Summer School in Jewish Studies. The most important event of the year for Jewish Studies students were held in the Moscow “Cosmos” hotel. Students, graduate students, and young scholars from all over Russia and the rest of the FSU came to Moscow to participate in this event.

On July 9, a coordination meeting of the Diversity Initiative took place in Kyiv. The Diversity Initiative is an informal network on non-governmental organizations united by their joint tasks to counteract xenophobia and to form a climate of tolerance in society.

Executive Director of the Moscow Office of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress Natalia Schmidt has taken part in the meeting of professionals working in regional structures that are a part of the World Jewish Congress, which took place in Brussels.

On July 3, Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) General Council Chairman Josef Zisels held a number of meetings in Georgia concerning the implementation of EAJC projects. The “Roots of Tolerance - Caucasus - 2013” project was discussed on a first-priority basis.