Plovdiv, Bulgaria – 11–12 June 2026

The AEPJ, representing the European Route of Jewish Heritage (ERJH), participated in the international forum Cultural Routes – Bulgaria 2026, held in Plovdiv on 11–12 June. The event brought together representatives of certified Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, national and local authorities, museums, cultural institutions, academics, tourism professionals and heritage organisations to explore the role of cultural routes in promoting sustainable development, cultural diplomacy and regional cooperation.

Organised with the support of key Bulgarian institutions, including the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Culture, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the National Association of Municipalities, the forum offered an important platform for presenting successful Cultural Route initiatives and discussing future opportunities for Bulgaria’s participation in the Cultural Routes programme of the Council of Europe.

The European Routes of Jewish Heritage (ERJH), coordinated by the AEPJ, have gained new visibility through a dedicated presentation published on e-patrimoines.org, the online heritage training platform of the French Ministry of Culture.

Created in 2011, e-patrimoines.org serves as a reference platform for training and knowledge-sharing on both tangible and intangible heritage, primarily for French-speaking audiences. The platform is managed by the World Heritage Mission of the French Ministry of Culture, led by Bruno Favel. Since 2021, the Mission has actively supported the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe that cross France, working closely with French representatives of certified routes.

JECPJ France, a long-standing AEPJ associate, represents the European Routes of Jewish Heritage (ERJH) before the World Heritage Mission, with Thierry Koch, Vice-President of JECPJ France, serving as the route’s representative in this collaboration.

AEPJ, as an associate member of the Association of European Jewish Museums (AEJM), participated in the AEJM Annual Conference 2026, held at the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw on 7^th, 8^th and 9^th June. Under the theme Jewish Museums and People, the three-day event brought together professionals from Jewish museums and heritage institutions across Europe and beyond.

The conference proved to be a valuable opportunity for AEPJ to strengthen existing partnerships and forge new connections with a wide range of actors in the Jewish heritage sector. Over the course of the three days, AEPJ representatives engaged in meaningful exchanges with museum directors, curators, educators, and cultural heritage professionals from across Europe, Israel, and North America.

Brussels, 8 June 2026 – The Association of European Jewish Heritage (AEPJ) took part in the 16th EU–Israel High-Level Seminar on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life, organised by the European Commission in Brussels. The annual forum brought together European and Israeli officials, policymakers, researchers, civil society representatives and Jewish organisations to address the challenges facing Jewish communities across Europe and explore strategies to combat antisemitism while strengthening Jewish life.

AEPJ President François Moyse was invited to speak during the seminar’s second session, dedicated to Antisemitism, Holocaust Remembrance and Jewish Life in Education and Research. The panel brought together representatives from the European Commission, UNESCO, Yad Vashem, the European Union of Jewish Students and other leading institutions working in the fields of education, remembrance and Jewish life.

Vienna, Austria – 8 June 2026

The Association of European Jewish Heritage (AEPJ) concluded its 2026 General Assembly in Vienna today, bringing together members, partners and stakeholders from across Europe for three days of strategic discussions, institutional meetings and encounters centred on the future of Jewish heritage in Europe.

Hosted in cooperation with AEPJ associate Burgenländische Forschungsgesellschaft (BFG), the gathering took place in Vienna’s historic second district, once home to one of the city’s most vibrant Jewish communities. Participants met at Hotel Stefanie, located in the former Jewish quarter, providing a fitting backdrop for conversations about heritage, memory and the future of Jewish life in Europe.

Opening the General Assembly, AEPJ President François Moyse expressed solidarity with Ukraine and welcomed new members from the Lviv Tourism Office, underlining the organisation’s continued commitment to supporting Jewish heritage initiatives across the continent, particularly in challenging times.

From 2 to 5 June 2026, the AEPJ took part in the 13th edition of the Cultural Routes Training Academy of the Council of Europe. Held across Pécs (Hungary) and Osijek (Croatia), the event brought together participants representing certified Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, under the theme “Shaping Confidence and Diversity.”

The Training Academy, jointly organised by the European Institute of Cultural Routes and the Roman Emperors and Danube Wine Route, in close cooperation with Zsolnay Heritage Management Nonprofit Ltd. and the Tourism Board of Osijek-Baranja County, served once again as a key platform for capacity building, strategic dialogue, and cross-route exchange.

Victor Sorenssen, Director of AEPJ, and Marc Francesch, Coordinator of the European Routes of Jewish Heritage, represented the AEPJ during this four-day event.

On 27 May 2026, during a ceremony held in New York, USA, the President of the European Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Jewish Culture and Heritage (AEPJ), François Moyse, presented a Medal of Recognition to Daniel S. Mariaschin, long-time CEO of B’nai B’rith International, who will shortly retire from his position after decades of leadership and service to Jewish communal life.

In his remarks, François Moyse recalled the creation of AEPJ and paid tribute to the organisation’s founder, Claude Bloch. He also highlighted the important role played by B’nai B’rith International, and in particular the continuous support and engagement of Daniel S. Mariaschin, in advocating for the safeguarding and promotion of Jewish heritage across Europe.

The ceremony brought together a large number of current and former leaders, professionals and representatives of Jewish organisations from across the United States, reflecting the longstanding ties and shared commitment between European and international Jewish institutions in preserving Jewish culture, memory and heritage for future generations.

During the Final European Conference of the NOA – Networks Overcoming Antisemitism project, held in Brussels on 26–27 May 2026, the European Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Jewish Culture and Heritage (AEPJ) and CEJI – A Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive Europe formalised a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), reinforcing the long-standing cooperation between both organisations.

The agreement was signed by Patrick Bikard on behalf of the AEPJ and Alain Philippson on behalf of CEJI, in the framework of the NOA conference, where both organisations participated as core partners alongside the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) and the World Jewish Congress (WJC). The Memorandum of Understanding establishes a framework for future collaboration in areas including Jewish heritage, education, intercultural dialogue, combating antisemitism and fostering inclusive societies across Europe.

The European Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Jewish Culture and Heritage (AEPJ) participated in the Final European Conference of the NOA – Networks Overcoming Antisemitism project, held in Brussels on 26–27 May 2026 at the Representation of the State of Hessen to the European Union. 

The NOA project brings together four major European Jewish organisations — the AEPJ, CEJI – A Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive Europe, the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS), and the World Jewish Congress (WJC) — with the aim of developing innovative public–civil society partnerships to combat antisemitism across Europe. Supported by European Union funding, the project combines educational initiatives, socio-cultural programming, training activities, sports workshops, policy tools, and the pioneering National Report Card methodology, promoting a holistic approach that connects policy and practice, education and security, and local and transnational action.