Speaking at the Kyiv Jewish Forum 2020, President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress Mikhail Mirilashvili drew the attention of its participants to the fact that coming closer together of the leaders of numerous world Jewish organizations has become noticeable recently. To a large extent, in his opinion, this is also facilitated by the Kyiv Jewish Forum, which is held for the second time.
“I remember how last year the Kyiv Jewish Forum was held in Kyiv. It was organized at the highest level and I remember the support it received. It makes me very happy that the Jewish leaders have become even closer lately. And this is transmitted to all our Jewish organizations and communities and overall this helps to improve the general atmosphere. When there is such an attitude, the result of our common activity becomes better and better. I wish this forum to be very successful,” Mirilashvili said.
This year, taking into account the epidemiological situation in the world, KJF 2020 is held online. It has been organized by the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine in cooperation with the Jerusalem Post and runs for two days, September 8 and 9. Among the speakers and guests of KJF 2020 are representatives of the governments and parliaments of the United States and Europe, leaders of world Jewish communities and organizations, prominent scholars and public figures, including President of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder, Alternate Prime Minister of Israel Benny Gantz, US Special Representative to Monitor and Combat anti-Semitism Elan Carr, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, President of Poland (1995-2005) Aleksander Kwaśniewski, human rights activist Natan Sharansky, Harvard University Professor Serhii Plokhiy and many others.
As the President of the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine Boris Lozhkin said at the opening of KJF 2020, it is no coincidence that Ukraine has become a place of consolidation of the world Jewish community. Until the beginning of the twentieth century, a quarter of all Jews lived in Ukraine, and descendants of the Ukrainian Jews currently live in all corners of the world.
According to Lozhkin, the Kyiv Jewish Forum opens up new opportunities for discussing global problems.