Personal Representatives of OSCE Chairman-in-Office on Tolerance and Non-discrimination statement for International Day of Tolerance

WARSAW/VIENNA, 16 November 2022 - As the Personal Representatives of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office tasked with addressing tolerance issues, we are cognizant of the enormous challenges that we face on this International Day of Tolerance.

Russian war of aggression against Ukraine is still being waged, bringing death and destruction, and forcing millions to flee their homes in its wake. Extremist voices across the OSCE region foment hate-motivated attacks on vulnerable ethnic and religious groups and minorities, including anti-Semitic attacks and hate crimes against Muslims, Christians and members of other religions, Roma and Sinti, migrants, and refugees, and people of African and Asian descent. Difficult economic conditions and looming fuel shortages will bring additional stress to the social cohesion of our society and threaten to undermine our abiding belief in democracy and human rights.

In the face of these challenges, we call on all OSCE participating States to take note of their obligation to protect and respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all individuals and take all necessary steps to safeguard them. These include commitments to enact and strengthen legislation to combat anti-Semitism, racism, and xenophobia; to establish national bodies to promote tolerance and non-discrimination; to develop educational programs, and; to share best practice models.

The hate crime dataset from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) provides official data as well as information from civil society on hate crimes committed across the OSCE region. Governments can learn from each other to use all the tools at their disposal to prevent and counter hate crimes. They should also work cooperatively with civil society, especially with religious and belief leaders and communities, young persons, and women. We all have a role to play.

We look forward to the day when tolerance will come to mean not only acceptance, but true respect and appreciation for pluralism and diversity in our societies.

Rabbi Andrew Baker
Personal Representative on Combating Anti-Semitism

Associate Professor Dr. Regina Polak
Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination, also focusing on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians and Members of Other Religions

Ambassador Dr. Ismail Hakki Musa
Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims