Community of Sant’Egidio becomes first Catholic movement to adopt International Definition of Antisemitism

The Community of Sant’Egidio has adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism.

The adoption, passed last week, makes the Community of Sant’Egidio the first international group of Catholics to endorse the Definition.

Created in 1968, the group is self-described on its website as “a movement of lay people counting more than 60,000 members, dedicated to peace, prayer, and service to the poor in more than 70 countries throughout the world.”

Israel’s envoy to the Vatican, Oren David, said that “This is a clear and unequivocal statement that rejects antisemitism in all its forms, as detailed in the broad definition from the [Definition], whose examples include delegitimization and demonization of Israel and denial of the Jewish people’s right to self-determination.”

Britain was the first country in the world to adopt the International Definition of Antisemitism, something for which Campaign Against Antisemitism and Lord Pickles worked hard over many meetings with officials at Downing Street.