UNESCO survey: antisemitism reported in three quarters of EU classrooms

Antisemitism is being encountered in classrooms across the European Union on a scale described as deeply alarming, according to a major new survey published by UNESCO to coincide with Holocaust Memorial Day.

The study found that more than three-quarters of teachers surveyed across the EU have witnessed antisemitic incidents between pupils, alongside high levels of Holocaust denial, Nazi symbolism and even physical attacks on Jewish students.

Drawing on responses from 2,030 teachers in 23 EU member states, the report – Addressing antisemitism through education: a survey of teachers’ knowledge and understanding – is the first Europe-wide study to examine how educators experience and perceive antisemitism in schools.

According to the findings, 78 percent of teachers said they had encountered at least one antisemitic incident among students, while more than a quarter reported seeing nine or more such incidents. Nearly two-thirds (61 percent) said they had come across Holocaust denial or distortion in the classroom, with one in ten saying this occurred frequently.

One in ten teachers reported witnessing physical attacks on Jewish pupils at least once, while 44 percent said they had seen students making Nazi gestures or wearing or drawing Nazi symbols. A majority (61 percent) admitted they had at times been unable to answer pupils’ questions about antisemitism, and 42 percent said they had encountered antisemitic behaviour from fellow teachers.

Despite the scale of the problem, the survey found a significant lack of preparedness among educators. Seven in ten teachers said they had received no professional training on how to identify or challenge contemporary antisemitism, and fewer than a third had taken part in specialist external training.

UNESCO warned that the situation reflects broader societal trends, including the rapid spread of online hate and the growing role of artificial intelligence. Its Director-General Khaled El-Enany, said: “Hate speech, notably antisemitism and Holocaust denial, has reached levels not since World War II. Most teachers have never received specific training to confront this reality, including the consequences related to AI development.”

The survey was developed by the UCL Centre for Holocaust Education and conducted between August 2024 and May 2025. It was disseminated by Public First with the backing of European ministries of education.

Alongside the findings, UNESCO published a package of new educational resources aimed at tackling antisemitism, including a practical handbook for teachers, a study of how Jews and Judaism are represented in European school curricula, and an online course designed to help educators teach about violent pasts accurately and sensitively.

The initiative forms part of a wider EU-backed effort to counter antisemitism through education. UNESCO confirms that, together with the European Commission and the OSCE, it has expanded a dedicated antisemitism training programme to all EU member states in 2025. Since 2023, more than 1,300 educators and policymakers across Europe have taken part.

For Jewish communities across the continent, the findings underline mounting concerns about the safety and well-being of Jewish pupils – and the urgent need for schools to be better equipped to confront antisemitism before it becomes further entrenched.