PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Pittsburgh has become a global leader in eradicating hate as one of the ways it has responded to the synagogue massacre in Squirrel Hill on Oct. 27, 2018 — the worst antisemitic attack in American history.

As the sixth anniversary of the attack that killed 11 congregants approaches later this month, the Steel City is again focusing on ways to combat the type of extremism worldwide that led to the synagogue attack and more.

The fourth annual Eradicate Hate Global Summit commences Oct. 21-23 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown. It is drawing participants and attendees from around the world. Among the dignitaries speaking will be:

• Former Arizona U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, who was shot in the head while attending a constituent event on Jan. 8, 2011. The gunman killed six people and injured 12 others. She went on to co-found Giffords, a gun violence prevention organization. This has become a leader in the national gun safety movement, making gun safety a “kitchen table issue” for voters.
• Tara Levine, president of the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, which is responsible for leading and scaling the organization’s efforts to stand up to Jewish hate and all hate.
• Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, White House Homeland Security Advisor, as the summit’s opening keynote speaker. Throughout her career, she has engaged in working to reduce nuclear dangers, prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction and to counter climate change.

The summit was held in Pittsburgh for the first time in 2021 in response to the mass shooting at the synagogue that killed members of three congregations — Tree of Life, New Light and Dor Hadash. The gunman was convicted and sentenced to death last year.

In a video about the conference, Brette Steele, president of the global summit, says it comes a crucial time.

The dates are just two weeks before a pivotal presidential election and two weeks after the first anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel “that has torn communities apart,” she says. There’s also been the growing risk of political violence amplified by the two recent assassination attempts against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and the continuing tension on college campuses where many students don’t feel safe walking to class.

“This could not be more of an essential time for everyone to take a moment, take stock and learn concrete steps they can take to reduce the risk of hate-filled violence, be that political or otherwise,” Steele says.

She hopes attendees will also leave with ideas for programs they can implement…“no matter what profession you have, where you are in your life,” she says.

Among some of the topics that will be addressed: Reducing the risk of political violence, the possible benefits of treating violence like a disease, the role that students can play in diffusing hate on campus, safeguards against online harm and how video games might be used to support violence-prevention strategies.  

In-person registration is still open. The session also will be livestreamed and can be viewed at no cost. Sign up for both here.