Promoting Tolerance in Central and Eastern Europe, initiated in 1992 by AJC and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation of Germany, identifies emerging leaders in the new democracies of Europe and Eurasia and introduces them to American initiatives aimed at fostering pluralism and respect for diversity.
The Naumann Foundation, a German political organization with offices and activities throughout Central and Eastern Europe, identifies potential participants. Representing a range of professional backgrounds and ethnic and religious groups, participants are selected for their commitment to tolerance-building and the strengthening of democratic values and civic institutions in their respective countries.

The program began in Santa Monica with a presentation on immigration from the immigrant rights organization CHIRLA. The following day started at Homeboy Industries (which assists at-risk and formerly gang-involved youth) with a delicious breakfast at Homegirl Café followed by a tour of the facility. The group proceeded with a visit to the City Hall, where they were treated to an impromptu photo-op with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and a welcome from City Councilmember Paul Koretz. After lunch the leaders visited PATH, People Assisting the Homeless, and learned about their unique model for serving the growing homeless population in Los Angeles. Having visited the LA must-see, Hollywood Boulevard, the group met with Adrian Dove, L.A. County Commissioner of Human Relations and President of CORE-California.

Heartfelt thanks for this year’s program go to Doris Haims, Michael Newman (Co-chairs of the program) and to Rachel Rappaport.

Eleven rising leaders from Central and Eastern Europe arrived in the United States for an intensive nine day, six city tour, to learn from Americans and one another while addressing issues of discrimination and ethnic tension. They visited Los Angeles from November 16th to 18th as part of the 16th annual “Promoting Tolerance” program.

“Promoting Tolerance” is a joint project of AJC and the German Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty. For the past 16 years, program organizers identify emerging leaders in the new democracies of Europe and Eurasia and introduce them to initiatives aimed at fostering pluralism and respect for diversity in the United States.  The program is designed to inspire similar efforts in the participants' respective countries.

Participants came from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Serbia and Uzbekistan. In Los Angeles, the program consisted of: conversation with Dean Schramm, Executive Producer of “Darfur Now” about Hollywood’s willingness to address difficult social issues of our time, tour of Homeboy Industries and meeting with its founder Fr. Gregory Boyle, panel discussion with Yvonne Mariajimenez of Neighborhood Legal Services of LA county and Consul Mariana Díaz of the Mexican Consulate General about the Latino community in Los Angeles, visit at the Gay and Lesbian Center and meeting with its Executive Director Lorri Jean, as well as meeting with Nancy Volpert, Director of Public Policy of Jewish Family Service.

Click here to read Los Angeles Times article about the group's visit.

The Promoting Tolerance program brought 20 young leaders from the emerging democracies of Central and Eastern Europe to four U.S. cities to experience American institutions that promote democracy, diversity, pluralism, and tolerance. The final leg of their experience brought them to Los Angeles for a four day program where they visited City Hall to hear about city government from city staff and elected officials, the Skirball Cultural Center where participants learned about media and culture's affect on diversity and tolerance, Greek Orthodox and Catholic churches to learn about inter-religious cooperation, and the LA Gay and Lesbian Center to learn about issues facing the LGBT community. 

The participants absorb models of government, civic associations, and private organizations which they could then bring back to their home countries. For many of the participants, particularly those from countries that comprised the former Yugoslavian nation, this was a powerful learning experience in resolving intergroup and interreligious issues peaceably and diplomatically. The Los Angeles program was created and implemented by a collaboration of lay leaders on the Travel and Exchange Subcommittee of the International Relations Committee and the AJC staff and intern.