The Thrive project launches in Brussels, led by WJC, EUJS and AEPJ
This week, the Thrive project partners convened at the World Jewish Congress headquarters in Brussels to kick off a groundbreaking initiative supported by the European Union’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) program.Thrive is designed to empower Jewish communities across Europe by strengthening resilience, fostering inclusivity, and promoting awareness of Jewish cultural heritage. Aligned with the EU Strategy on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life, Thrive aims to support Jewish communities in claiming and celebrating their heritage in the face of modern challenges.
Led by the World Jewish Congress, the European Union of Jewish Students and the AEPJ, the Thrive project brings together key Jewish institutions to empower communities through resources, visibility, and cultural engagement. This initiative underscores the importance of a vibrant Jewish presence within Europe’s cultural landscape, offering communities tools to sustain their heritage while countering antisemitism and fostering intercultural understanding.
A central component of Thrive is the Intangible Jewish Heritage Hub, a digital platform led by AEPJ. This Hub will provide Jewish communities with a unique space to document, preserve, and share their intangible heritage: traditions, rituals, and expressions that reflect Jewish identity and culture. Federico Szarfer from AEPJ attended the Brussels meeting to lead the co-designing process for the Hub’s structure, aligning it with UNESCO standards for cultural heritage preservation. The Hub will allow Jewish communities to engage in active storytelling, contributing their voices to a collective European heritage and paving the way for potential inclusion in UNESCO’s list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Scheduled to launch in conjunction with the 2025 European Days of Jewish Culture, the Intangible Jewish Heritage Hub will host a public, interactive virtual exhibition featuring submissions from Jewish communities across Europe. To maximize participation, AEPJ, WJC, and EUJS are planning a coordinated social media campaign and outreach strategy to involve communities and ensure their stories are shared widely. The Hub’s online platform, supported by AEPJ, will serve as a cornerstone for celebrating and promoting Jewish heritage across the continent.
Additionally, AEPJ is working to establish a scientific committee, to provide expertise to community members contributing to the Hub. This committee will guide custodians of heritage in meeting UNESCO standards, reinforcing Thrive’s commitment to quality and international recognition. By aligning with the principles of the Faro Convention (2005), which emphasizes community-led heritage preservation, Thrive empowers Jewish communities to define and protect their cultural heritage actively.
The Thrive project, fueled by the support of European and global Jewish organizations, represents a vital step in empowering Jewish communities and enriching Europe’s cultural tapestry. By elevating Jewish intangible heritage and ensuring it is woven into Europe’s broader cultural narrative, Thrive highlights Jewish life as a key element in Europe’s diverse historical and contemporary identity.
