“The Plan for the Reduction of Racism and Antisemitism 2023” approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on 11 April 2023 has endorsed the application of the working definition of antisemitism of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) in Latvia.
Latvia has been a member of the IHRA since 2004, and took part in the IHRA Plenary in Bucharest on 26 May 2016, which adopted a non-legally binding working definition of antisemitism. Upon the approval of the plan by the Government, the IHRA definition of antisemitism is also being endorsed as a working tool at the government level.
The national action plan includes measures for the prevention of racism and combatting antisemitism to be enshrined in legislation and pursued in practice. In the plan, great attention is devoted to preventive action, including the elimination of intolerance, hate speech and discrimination.
The plan was drafted by a working group coordinated by the Ministry of Culture and comprising competent institutions and non-governmental organisations. It has been developed in line with the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions “Union of Equality : EU anti-racism action plan 2020-2025” of 18 September 2020 and the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions “EU Strategy on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life (2021-2030)” of 5 October 2021.