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Creation of B.B.E. Foreign Affairs Network (F.A.N.) |
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The first meeting of the new B’nai B’rith Europe Foreign Affairs Network (F.A.N.) took place in The Hague (The Netherlands) on Sunday March 19th, co-chaired by John Manheim, International Vice President, Chair F.A.N. and David Lévy-Bentolila, B’nai B’rith Europe’s Honorary Life President, Mentor and Chair Anti-Semitism and Human Rights Affairs.
Over 9 countries were represented at this meeting among which France, the United Kingdom, Belgium and The Netherlands, convened to set up a pan-European network throughout the 28 countries where B’nai B’rith is present.
In his opening speech, John Manheim emphasised the absolute necessity to organise and coordinate B’nai B’rith’s political work, taking advantage of its unique force due to its presence in the main capital cities in Europe.
David Lévy-Bentolila, in his intervention, explained in detail the increase of anti-Semitism throughout Europe.
The first guest speaker, Rony Naftaniel, Director of the Centre for Information and Documentation Israel (CIDI) based in The Netherlands, gave a detailed report on how this organisation works in political spheres.
He was followed by a very interesting intervention by Henryk Broder, writer and reporter for Der Spiegel in Germany, on anti-Semitism in Germany.
The meeting which was very successful ended with general remarks from each country on their particular situation and with proposals on the work that should be carried out. All the 37 participants accepted to become part of the new B.B.E. Foreign Affairs Network.
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