Some 20 students from the United Kingdom and Ireland participated in the first high-level training conference that prepares students to respond to campus anti-Semitism and anti-Israel activism of its kind.
The inaugural CAMERA on Campus UK Student Leadership Conference, which was held on Oct. 14 in London, placed a heavy emphasis on empowering students to be proud, informed Zionists.
“CAMERA fills an important void on campus and provides unique tools for students,” says Israel activist David Collier says. “If we are to fight back against the industrial anti-Israel distortion taking place, we need to reclaim the word ‘Zionism,’ and ‘Zionize’ students by providing them with our true history, and thus enable students to both unapologetically provide positive messages and engage to counter the lies.”
Aviva Rosenschein, International Campus Director for CAMERA, said the tools provided at the conference answer a genuine need for students, no matter where they are located.
“Our aim is to prepare students with the resources necessary to combat anti-Israel activity on university campuses,” she said. “Students traveled from near and far, showing how dedicated and passionate they are about defending Israel. It’s very encouraging.”
The first-ever conference provided intensive training for making Israel’s case to a wide array of audiences, including anti-Israel professors and activists, many of which lead the charge against the Jewish state.
“Students really learned and took home useful skills that they will use at their universities. I have never been to a conference where students were so enthusiastically engaged from beginning to end,” acknowledged Khulan Davaajav, a student at SOAS University of London and a CAMERA UK associate.
“The conference provided the support that is so desperately needed. Not only did we learn useful skills, such as dissecting media reports and responding effectively to articles, but we also learned social-media strategy to promote our societies and events,” said Saskia Millman, a law student at the University of Glasgow.
Millman said this, “combined with the amazing opportunity to debate with and learn from experts, diplomats and other student leaders, was an incredibly unique and valuable experience.”