Spiritual Heritage and Cultural Renewal: Ukrainian Jewry at a Crossroads
ECMI Recommendations based on the discussions of the International Conference "Spiritual Heritage and Cultural Renewal: Ukrainian Jewry at a Crossroads"
A Conference of the Association of Younger Jews in Denmark,
in co-operation with the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI)
(Copenhagen, Jewish Community Centre, 21 February 1999)
Preamble
In a European context, it is in Ukraine that the largest Jewish population remains in its traditional territory of settlement. Despite the tragic and almost complete destruction of the flowering Jewish culture of East Central Europe during World War II, there is today a Jewish population of about 450,000 in Ukraine, thereby constituting the largest non-Slavic national and/or religious minority in Ukraine and the fourth largest Jewish population in the world (after the United States, Israel and Russia). During the last decade several Jewish cultural and religious organisations have been formed, striving to develop and preserve the unique character of one of the last significant concentrations of East Central European Jewry. However, today Ukrainian Jews are challenged by contrasting tendencies, such as assimilation, emigration, anti-Semitism and the struggle to preserve and develop a Jewish presence. With the process of European integration, the Republic of Ukraine will soon become an important new neighbouring state to the European Union. The further integration of Europe is connected with the resolution of problems in minority-state relations and the respectful treatment of all the inhabitants of Europe.
Against this background, the Association of Younger Jews in Denmark, in co-operation with the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI), organised the conference Spiritual Heritage and Cultural Renewal � Ukrainian Jewry at a Crossroads. The conference was the first to address the specific concerns of Ukrainian Jewry held outside the territory of Ukraine. The event was organised in the spirit of Council of Europe Recommendation 1291 (1996) on Yiddish culture which, inter alia, emphasises the importance of the development of Yiddish culture in Europe and recognises that stability in Europe depends on the acceptance of a pluralistic system of cultural, ethnic and religious values. The conference was organised as an integral element of a Study Tour to Denmark for 20 representatives of Jewish minority organisations and representatives of the Ukrainian church and State which took place from 14-23 February 1999. The Study Tour and the conference was generously financed by the Democracy Foundation (Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs) as well as private sponsors.
The main purposes of the conference were: (1) to encourage continued inter-ethnic dialogue in Ukraine; (2) to discuss the improvement of Jewish minority rights in Ukraine; (3) to contribute to the development of a European Jewish culture; and (4) to raise the international awareness of the problems of contemporary Ukrainian Jewry. An additional aim was to encourage inter-confessional dialogue between Jewish and Christian communities in Ukraine. The conference also sought to develop relations between the Jewish communities of Ukraine, Denmark, Sweden and other countries of the European Union whose representatives were also invited. More than 60 participants took part in the conference which was conducted in Danish and Russian.
Based on the discussions during the conference, the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) has outlined the following set of recommendations on the protection and promotion of the spiritual heritage of Ukraine Jewry:
1. Welcoming the great transformations which have taken place in Ukraine since independence in 1991 and efforts to create a free and democratic state for all its inhabitants, ECMI recommends that further steps be taken to implement existing international and domestic legal standards with respect to national minorities in force in Ukraine, as set forth, inter alia, in the Declaration on the Rights of the Nationalities of Ukraine (1991), the Law on the National Minorities of Ukraine (1992), the Constitution of Ukraine (1996), and also the Council of Europe�s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (1995) and European Charter on Regional or Minority Languages (1992) (signed but not yet ratified by Ukraine).
2. In accordance with international and domestic instruments in force in Ukraine guaranteeing the equality of all persons before the law and prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status, a high priority should be attached to ensuring the effective functioning of the existing domestic legal system in order to ensure equal treatment of all its inhabitants in all spheres, including access to employment. Relevant legal instruments in force in Ukraine include the Constitution of Ukraine (Art. 24), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) + Optional Protocol, the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (1965), and ILO Convention no. 111 concerning Discrimination in Respect of Employment and Occupation.
Cultural Renewal
3. ECMI welcomes the efforts of the government of Ukraine in assisting its Jewish community in creating the conditions for the preservation and revival of the Jewish culture and Yiddish language in Ukraine and recommends that the two parties persevere in creating these conditions in accordance with domestic and international standards such as Art. 11 of the Ukrainian Constitution (1996), Council of Europe Recommendation 1291 (1996) on Yiddish Culture, and Resolution 885 (1987) on the Jewish contribution to European culture.
4. ECMI particularly welcomes the endorsement given by the Ukrainian government to specific initiatives emanating from the Jewish community itself to create the conditions for the revival of Jewish culture in Ukraine in the forms of cultural institutions, schools, universities, etc. In this context the encouraging experience of the International Solomon University in Kyiv since 1993 can be drawn upon.
5. ECMI welcomes the decision by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to grant Council of Europe auspices to the "European Institute for Dispersed Ethnic Minorities" (EIDEM) established in Vilnius, Lithuania, in July 1998 with the aim to preserve and popularise the cultures of numerous small ethnic groups in Europe and a commitment to address the Yiddish and Roma cultures amongst others (cf. Doc. 8277 (1998) Reply of the Committee of Ministers to Rec. 1291). ECMI recommends that experts from the government of Ukraine and representatives of Jewish organisations establish contact and cooperate with EIDEM. Co-operation with EIDEM could be especially vital for the Krymchak population of the Crimean peninsula, a Turkic-speaking indigenous population of Jewish origins of whom only about 500 remain today.
6. ECMI notes the particular wish of the participants that the administration of Jewish places of burial, which is currently carried out by the local authorities, be transferred to local Jewish communities. ECMI recognises that such a measure would have a symbolic impact and be of great significance for the Jewish population of Ukraine and would also help improve the maintenance of the places of burial.
Advancing Restitution
7. Welcoming the fact that Ukraine has passed a law on restitution of places of worship and that the implementation of this law has resulted in the return of hundreds of religious properties, ECMI encourages the continuation of efforts in this field. As regards redundant religious buildings, the process of restitution should continue in accordance with Council of Europe Resolution 916 (1989) on Redundant religious buildings.
8. ECMI notes the participants� emphasis on the vital need for advancing the process of restitution and devising alternative compensation mechanisms in those cases where restitution is not possible.
Fighting Anti-Semitism and Improving Inter-Ethnic Relations
9. International documents for fighting anti-Semitism and intolerance provide useful guidance. These include Council of Europe Recommendation 1275 (1995) on the fight against racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and intolerance, Recommendation 1215 (1993) on ethics of journalism, ECRI (European Commission against Racism and Intolerance) general policy recommendation no. 1 on Combating racism, xenophobia, antisemitism and intolerance (1996), and ECRI general policy recommendation no. 2 on Specialised bodies to combat racism, xenophobia, antisemitism and intolerance at national level (1997).
10. Recognising that a strong means of preventing anti-Semitism is better dissemination of information on Jewish culture and history, the Ministry of Education of Ukraine, in cooperation with experts from other member states of the Council of Europe, should ensure the adequate dissemination of information on Jewish culture and history, especially in manuals on European history in schools and universities, as recommended by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in Doc. 7850 (1997) "Interim Reply to Recommendation 1291 (1996)". In particular, it should ensure that the events of the Holocaust are taught to Jewish and non-Jewish students alike.
11. Reinforced implementation at the national as well as local levels of the existing legal system for preventing incitement to ethnic hatred is necessary (for example Criminal Code of Ukraine, art. 66. on deliberate acts instigating national, racial or religious hatred or discord). Those responsible for disseminating anti-Semitic statements, articles and other materials should be prosecuted according to Ukrainian law.
12. ECMI expresses support for the participants� wish that monuments to Jewish culture and history be erected and that these monuments receive adequate protection against acts of vandalism. ECMI further supports the participants� recommendation that historic sites related to Pogroms and the Holocaust be classified and marked.
Developing Inter-Faith Dialogue and Promoting Religious Tolerance
13. Ukraine's religious landscape today is free, pluralistic and stable, and important mechanisms for regulating relations between state and religious groups as well as inter-confessional relations have been created such as the State Committee of Ukraine on Religious Affairs and the Congress of Religious Communities of Ukraine. ECMI especially welcomes the beginning of inter-faith dialogue between the Christian Orthodox and Jewish communities (in the concrete forms of a Christian-Jewish conference in 1998 and an upcoming World Congress of Christian and Jewish organisations in Kyiv in May 1999) for increased communication and cooperation between the Orthodox Congregations of Ukraine and Jewish organisations could greatly contribute to strengthening a fully tolerant and democratic society.
14. Finally, in order to promote a better understanding and tolerance of different world religions, Ukraine should follow Council of Europe Recommendation 1396 (1999) on Religion and Democracy and Recommendation 1202 (1993) on Religious Tolerance in a Democratic Society by encouraging the learning of the history of different world religions and considering the introduction of studies of religions and ethics into the general school curriculum as an optional subject. The holy texts of these faiths could also be made available in public libraries.
The European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI), Flensburg and the ECMI Regional Representative for Ukraine.
Recommendations Russian Version
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ECMI Recommendations
Evaluating Policy Measures for Minority Languages in Europe
Spiritual Heritage and Cultural Renewal: Ukrainian Jewry at a Crossroads
Implementation of the Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
From Ethnopolitical Conflict to Inter-Ethnic Accord in Moldova
Towards Effective Participation of Minorities
Chairman's Conclusions
