Start Learning City Up: A Shared Commitment to Education Against Anti-Semitism

30 November 2023 marked the beginning of an important new phase for the Start Learning City Up project, with the aim of strengthening education as a fundamental tool in the fight against anti-Semitism. In a virtual ceremony attended by leaders and institutions from different parts of the world, including the governor of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Massimiliano Fedriga, and the mayor of Modi’in Maccabim Re’ut, Haim Bibas, the determination to promote the values of tolerance and respect was reaffirmed.

The project is the result of international cooperation between the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region and the municipality of Modi’in Maccabim Re’ut, with the aim of creating a model of a learning city, capable of adapting to contemporary changes and challenges. The initiative is part of a broader context of commitment to lifelong learning, launched as part of the “Learning Cities in Friuli Venezia Giulia Pilot Project” between 2019 and 2022, which saw the Municipality of Trieste obtain the prestigious Learning City recognition from UNESCO.

The Start Learning City Up project, in particular through Work Package 4, implemented by the Department of Life Sciences of the University of Trieste, aims at building an informed and aware global community, capable of recognising and countering anti-Semitism in all its forms. With this in mind, the project aims to develop and implement educational actions that can have a significant impact in the fight against anti-Semitism, while promoting greater understanding between different cultures and communities. This shared commitment to education aims not only to counter hatred and intolerance but also to build a future in which mutual respect and understanding are the basis of social coexistence.

With the support of educational institutions, local communities and international partners, the Start Learning City Up project represents a significant step towards achieving a more just and inclusive society, where learning plays a central role in promoting universal values and building bridges of dialogue and understanding.