On November 10, the 87th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the National Strategy Against Anti-Semitism 2.0 (NAS 2.0) was presented at the Federal Chancellery.
The new strategy was presented by State Secretary Alexander Pröll, who coordinates the fight against anti-Semitism in the government, together with Vice-Chancellor Andreas Babler, Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr, and the President of the Jewish Community of Austria, Oskar Deutsch.
Vice-Chancellor and Sports Minister Babler emphasized the importance of prevention work. "We have written this anti-Semitism strategy in awareness of our historical responsibility, but also adapted it to current circumstances. For although the forms of anti-Semitism may differ in their ideological manifestation, their origin is always the same: hatred. We must take action against this hatred. Prevention work is central to this, because anti-Semitism thrives where ignorance and incitement gain ground. By implementing this strategy, we are fulfilling our responsibility.“
Anchoring sports-based prevention work
For the first time, the NAS includes a chapter on ”Society.Democracy.Sport.“ This means that, unlike in the previous action plan, sport is explicitly mentioned. The NAS 2.0 states: ”Sport alone cannot eliminate anti-Semitism. But it can make a decisive contribution to sensitizing young people, creating encounters, and conveying democratic values. Anchoring sports-based prevention work in NAS 2.0 is therefore not only sensible, but necessary."
In the course of the preparatory work for the new strategy, the fairplay initiative submitted a series of proposals that are now reflected in the new NAS.
On page 2016, for example, it states: “In Austria, there has been a lack of structural measures in organized sports to date. With its contact point against misanthropic ideologies, the ”fairplay prevention" project offers an innovative approach and aims to fill this gap across all sports. Cooperation with the IKG Vienna, the Jewish Museum Vienna, and the WJC, as well as events such as the symposium “Diversity in Martial Arts,” show how diverse anti-Semitism prevention in sports can be—from martial arts to educational work to youth social work."
Lack of funding for long-term prevention work
Kurt Wachter, head of the fairplay initiative, says: “With fairplay prevention, we have placed a focus on combating anti-Semitism. Most recently with the exhibition ”Leopold Stastny – Survivor of Nazi Terror, Legendary Coach, and Inventor of the School League." We welcome the new action plan and the recognition of sport as a preventive field of action. This makes the expiry of the fairplay prevention project due to cost-cutting measures all the more regrettable."
The fairplay initiative is therefore looking for alternative funding opportunities for prevention work in sport. In October, we submitted the project “Fight for Diversity – Tackling Anti-Semitism through an Inclusive Martial Arts Culture” as part of the EU's Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) program. This project aims to combat anti-Semitism and extremism while promoting equality and inclusion in martial arts. The partnership includes Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Austria.
Download “National Strategy against Anti-Semitism 2.0”
https://www.bundeskanzleramt.gv.at/dam/jcr:750dec5b-c99d-4c95-ba6d-3abde6141618/nationale_strategie_gegen_antisemitismus_2-0_bf.pdf
