Education is key to fighting hate

Re: “C.D.N.-N.D.G. borough adopts definition of anti-semitism” (Montreal Gazette, Jan. 28)

We applaud city councillor Lionel Perez and the C.D.N.N.D.G. borough for adopting the IHRA'S definition of anti-semitism on the 76th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

With anti-semitic hate crimes on the rise, this definition is crucial for a common understanding of anti-semitism, enabling us to better prevent, measure and fight it. We encourage other boroughs and the City of Montreal to follow suit.

Education is the key to combating hatred and discrimination. Our schools must teach youth about tolerance and inclusion. We are working with the Quebec government to produce a universal teachers' guide on the subject of genocide, including the Holocaust.

This guide will help young people understand the meaning of and the ultimate consequences of hatred so that they will recognize the warning signs of genocide and prevent history from repeating itself. Cloé Dubuc, The Foundation for Genocide Education, Montreal