Correspondence between HRF and the State Department about the OSCE Meeting on Antisemitism

The U.S. government's delegation to the OSCE Conference on Antisemitism was led by Secretary of State Colin Powell. The Secretary attended the opening day's meeting and spoke eloquently about the need for greater official attention to the problem of antisemitism.

Secretary Powell committed to attend the meeting after intense lobbying by human rights and Jewish organizations. Human Rights First urged Secretary of State Colin Powell to attend the meeting, arguing that the presence of a senior U.S. government official would set a benchmark for other governments and strengthen both the level of participation at the meeting and its potential to yield meaningful commitments.

Human Rights First supporters generated more than 1,000 letters urging the Secretary to attend; this advocacy made a real difference in persuading the Secretary to attend.

Read U.S. State Department announcement about Powell's plans to attend OSCE conference.

Read the article in the Forward about Human Rights First's efforts to urge Secretary Powell to attend

These links will take you to the correspondence between the Secretary of State and Human Rights First.

HRF Letter to Sec. Powell Expressing Gratitude for Attendance at Berlin meeting (4/19/04)

HRF Letter to Sec. Powell Urging His Attendance (3/10/04)

State Department Response (3/17/04)

HRF Letter to Sec. Powell Urging Strong U.S. Leadership (3/24/04)