ADL goes beyond the United States and Israel in our mission. Through International Affairs, the League has long fought anti-Semitism, bigotry and prejudice and promoted Jewish security throughout the world. The year 2000 was no exception. ADL carried out our work both through activities in the United States ­ to influence the American public and media, with the ultimate goal of generating action by the U.S. Government ­ and overseas.

ADL met with heads of state and other officials of foreign governments, including French President Jacques Chirac; monitored and exposed extremists such as Austrian Freedom Party leader Joerg Haider; and developed educational programs to promote diversity, and interfaith activities to counter religious anti-Semitism and promulgate an understanding of Judaism. The League also sponsored a variety of exchange programs, including ADL overseas missions and speaking engagements by foreign officials at ADL National Headquarters in New York.

RUSSIA

Anti-Semitism in Russia increasingly surfaced on both the political and social levels. ADL, in conjunction with the Russian Jewish Congress, officially opened an office in Moscow to address these issues. During its first year, the Moscow Office issued reports on the extent of extremist activity in Russia, provided regular updates to ADL leadership in the U.S., and alerted the world whenever anti-Semitic incidents or statements occurred. The Office monitored some 50 Russian newspapers that regularly exploit anti-Semitism, ultranationalist and neo-Nazi-styled organizations operating in Russia, and hate-mongering groups and individuals on the Russian Internet. The Office also supported an appeal by Russian Jewish organizations that resulted in a Moscow judge ordering prosecutors to re-open their investigation of Russia's leading publisher of anti-Semitic materials.

ADL also expressed concern that newly elected President Vladimir Putin was engaged in efforts to weaken Russian-Jewish leadership and was not sufficiently committed to standing up against extremists. The League protested when media magnate Vladimir Goussinsky ­ who is also President of the Russian Jewish Congress ­ was the target of anti-Semitic attacks on the state-owned television network, and later arrested on fraud charges.

During the year, the Moscow Office initiated several outreach and educational programs, including ­ in collaboration with ADL's Central Pacific Regional Office in San Francisco ­ a training program for Russian law enforcement officials.

IRAN

ADL was deeply engaged in the effort to free the 10 Jews unjustly imprisoned on espionage charges in Iran. The League advocated a strategy of quiet but forceful diplomacy around the world to convince Iran it had much to lose if it harmed the Jews.

Working with others in the Jewish community, ADL was in contact with foreign leaders, human rights organizations and religious leaders in America and the Vatican. The League provided them with information on the history of Jews in Iran, both before and after the emergence of the Islamic government in 1979, in order to give them a sense of the community's longstanding roots in that country. ADL also urged restraint by Jewish communities in the U.S. and elsewhere, while there was hope of finding a reasonable solution through back-door channels. But as the months passed, the League and our allies became more public, engaging in a series of demonstrations and vigils in support of the 10 Jews. Although the men's original sentences, which ranged from four to 13 years, were reduced by lengths of two to nine years, all of them remain imprisoned.

EUROPE

ADL continued to closely monitor groups and individuals in Europe who tried to stir up anti-Semitic, bigoted or extremist sentiments among their fellow citizens. The League's major focus in this area was the emergence of Joerg Haider's xenophobic and racist Freedom Party as a partner in the Austrian government. This development was strongly criticized by ADL, but the League also reached out to the 73% of Austrians who did not vote for Haider, proposing to Austrian educators that the anti-bias programming of ADL's A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE^® Institute be implemented in Austrian schools.

ADL expressed outrage when a wave of anti-Semitic incidents relating to the Middle East conflict broke out in Europe ­ especially in France, where over 90 incidents were reported, including the fire-bombing of synagogues in Paris and Lyon and attacks on kosher stores and Jewish schools. "These are more than just heat-of-the-moment crimes as a result of tension in the Middle East," said the League. "These are hate crimes that have a devastating impact on entire communities, while re-opening deep wounds for the Jewish people."

LATIN AMERICA

ADL continued to urge the government of Argentina to vigorously investigate the 1992 bombing of the Israel Embassy and the 1994 bomb attack on the headquarters of Argentina's largest Jewish community service organization, Asociacion Mutual Israelita Argentina, and offered support to the local Jewish community in the upcoming trials of several individuals accused of involvement in the bombings. The League also participated in programs to educate Argentineans about Judaism and the Holocaust, and engaged in preliminary discussions towards the goal of bringing A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE^® Institute programming to Argentina. 

Next: Education: Prejudice is learned. It can be unlearned.