Ro & SuZ Award 2024

Each year at the INACH Conference, we honour two of the founders of INACH, Ronald Eissens and Suzette Bronkhorst, by giving an award named after them.

Having lost our founders, our friends, does not make Magenta unique. More of you have lost dear collegues and friends, Czech Helsinki Committee lost chairman Václav Vlk this year, Never Again Association lost Marcin Kornak ten years ago. And there'll be names we do not know.

For those who are not here today, I lit this candle.

The main goal in our friends' lives was creating a safer, more inclusive online environment. How much that meant to Suzette, I was able to witness in the last weeks of her life.

I spent a heartbreaking night watching over her, 8 days before she died. When Suzette was not talking about the Award — that she wanted to present in Ronalds name — but was trying to rest instead, she got into a really bad shape.

Thinking and talking about the Award and about possible candidates, gave her power to live. Perhaps because fighting discrimination and hatespeech had been Suzette's life's goal. "These young boys of FOA do such a great job" (Sorry ;) she was in her sixties, she was talking about you both as "young boys." ;-)) Jean Hubert Bondo also, "Young guy" (according to Suzette.) "Great work, hope for our future." "What do you think Jolie?" "I don't know, I haven't heard of these organizations, to be honoust.." "Yes, they are both NEW! Started last year! Doing a great job already!" "So, you know them Suzette, it is up to you to decide..."

And when she stopped talking like that, it looked as if she stopped breathing. I grabbed my phone to dial emergency several times. And then she started talking again.

It still gives me shivers when I remember this night. Enfin.

That night, Suzette mentioned 2 candidates specifically: the FOA and Africa Sans Haine, as her top favorite candidates. She also mentioned Never Again — but hey, friends from day 1: that's too easy, or might be considered "Vriendjespolitiek." Favoritism. We can't do that, even though Never Again or Valentín in Spain would qualify.

Today is, almost to the day, 3 years after that conversation on september 30, 2021, with Suzette. Today I am happy, from the bottom of my heart, to present this award to the FOA and Never Again. Needless to say: I fully agree with Suzette. Your FOA-team walks the extra mile. In extremely gloomy times, you know how to present a spark of hope. Not only do you fight the dark forces of antisemitism, but you also offer the volunteers strategies how to cope with exposure to online hate... A marvellous job! The same can I say about Never Again, with your decades-long history of fighting hate-speech and extremism.

For the details of the Jury report I pass the floor to the Award winner of 2023, Dr. Panayote Dimitras. Who is not able to be here in person, as a result of the still ongoing harassment campaign against him and the Greek Helsinki Monitor.

Today, we celebrate two organizations which, like Ronald and Suzette, do not shy away from difficult tasks, not even when there is social headwind.

First, let’s talk about FOA — Fighting Online Antisemitism. It was founded as recently as February 2020 with an initially small volunteer group to report and request removal of antisemitic content in numerous online platforms. It is mind-blowing to realize that today this group has more than 3,000 volunteers who have reported more than 60,000 social media posts, with a more than a quarter of them removed by the platforms.

FOA has been a pioneering force in fighting online antisemitism. Soon after they were founded, antisemitism surged globally, when racists and conspiracy theorists fraudulently tried to link Jews to the COVID-19-virus.

A few years later, since the atrocities on 7 October 2023, antisemitism has been spreading like wildfire, both on line and in everyday life. There is celebration of violence against Jews, Holocaust denial, conspiracy theories, hate-mongering, inciting content, as well as Jewish communities who are facing a threat level unprecedented in modern history.

FOA fights online antisemitism worldwide, through volunteer training, reporting and monitoring antisemitic content, developing AI-tools, raising awareness and promoting diversity and tolerance, by educational workshops and presentations, by informing authorities when messages contain real life threats. This approach reflects the vision that Ronald and Suzette had during their work to make the internet a safer space.

I would like to congratulate FOA. Your work embodies the essence of Ronald and Suzette's legacy.

Dear friends and colleagues,

It is my great honor to address you today. My name is Nir Kaplan, and I serve as a board member of the Fighting Online Antisemitism (FOA) NGO. It is my pleasure to stand before you today on behalf of FOA's board, our dedicated staff, and our founder and executive director, Tomer Aldubi:

We are deeply grateful to the Ro & Suz Magenta Award’s Board for its profound acknowledgment of the significance of combating antisemitism. Receiving this prize today, almost one year after the events of October 7th and at a time when online Jewish hate has increased by more than 300% in just one year, is deeply meaningful and inspiring for all of FOA's volunteers worldwide.

INACH has consistently been one of the most important professional networks for FOA since our establishment in 2020. Our relationship with INACH has been instrumental in helping FOA expand its educational programs to Europe. We are particularly proud that, for the first time this year, FOA is participating in the Monitoring Exercises operated by INACH.

The networking opportunities provided by INACH, along with its dozens of prestigious NGO members across the globe, have significantly supported the critical fight against antisemitism on social media and, more broadly, against online hate speech.

At FOA, we often say that our vision is to protect Jewish lives by eradicating online antisemitism. However, we aim to achieve this by connecting with non-Jews and other minorities. Since FOA's inception, we have understood that fighting antisemitism helps to eradicate hate speech in general, thus creating a safer internet for all.

I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all of you for collaborating and working with FOA to make the internet safer for us all and for future generations. Your support and recognition inspire us to continue our mission with renewed vigor and determination.

Thank you.