In 2015, AJC launched the Mayors United Against Antisemitism campaign, inviting U.S. mayors and municipal leaders to sign on to a statement that calls upon their European counterparts to publicly address and take action against antisemitism in their communities. By signing the statement, U.S. mayors and municipal leaders pledged to advance respectful coexistence in their own communities and urged their European counterparts to affirm that antisemitism is incompatible with fundamental democratic values. In October 2015, AJC launched the initiative in Europe, beginning with Mayor Anne Hidalgo of Paris, whose city had seen a wave of antisemitic attacks. By signing the statement, European leaders pledged to pursue a zero-tolerance policy on antisemitism, ensure that antisemitic incidents are thoroughly investigated, raise public awareness of the problem, and make the physical security of Jewish communities a priority.
More than 350 U.S. mayors and municipal leaders from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, representing nearly 86 million people have signed on, along with nearly 200 European mayors from 31 countries representing more than 70 million people.
See the full-page ad, published during the AJC Global Forum 2016, in The Wall Street Journal that paid tribute to this group of mayors.
