WINNIPEG – The University of Manitoba announced Friday that alumni Chuck and Libby Winograd have established the Winograd Initiative for the Study of Contemporary Hate Speech and Antisemitism at the Faculty of Law. The initiative is funded by a $500,000 philanthropic gift and will support original research, student researchers, public education, and national collaboration.
Assistant Professor Kenneth Grad has been named the inaugural scholar under the Winograd Initiative. His work will examine legal, historical, and societal dimensions of antisemitism and hate speech, including the enforcement of hate speech laws and the role of online platforms in spreading hate. The initiative will also support graduate and Juris Doctor student researchers.
โLibby and I are pleased to support this initiative at a time when thoughtful and rigorous research on hate speech and antisemitism is so urgently needed,โ Chuck Winograd said in a statement released by the university. The Faculty of Lawโs dean described the gift as a major contribution to scholarship at the intersection of law, human rights, and antisemitism.
Organizers said the Winograd Initiative will host the First Annual Winograd Symposium on Law and the Jewish Experience in early May 2026 at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg. The symposium aims to bring student researchers from across Canada together with faculty advisors and national and international scholars.
The initiative comes as recorded hate crimes in Canada have risen sharply in recent years. Police-reported hate crimes rose 32 percent from 2022 to 2023, according to Statistics Canada. National community audits also reported record levels of antisemitic incidents in 2024. Proponents of the initiative said the trend underscores the need for focused legal research and public education.
University officials noted that the research under the Winograd Initiative will not only probe criminal law responses but also explore prevention, education, and community collaboration. Kenneth Grad said the project offers an opportunity to mentor students and to contribute to public conversations about how law can respond to and limit the spread of hatred.
The university statement highlighted planned activities that include public education events and partnerships with national and international scholars. The initiativeโs supporters said it will strengthen the Faculty of Lawโs capacity to lead scholarship on contemporary forms of antisemitism and hate speech while expanding student learning opportunities.
Community leaders and Jewish advocacy groups welcomed the announcement. Local and national organizations have pressed for stronger academic and policy work on antisemitism after multiple recent reports documented rising incidents and online harassment. The Winograd Initiativeโs combination of legal scholarship, public programming, and student involvement aims to provide both evidence and practical pathways for policy and legal responses.
The university release said the Winograd Initiative will produce original scholarship, convene events, and support the next generation of legal researchers focused on hate speech and the Jewish experience. The inaugural work is expected to include research papers, public panels, and student-led projects that inform policymaking and community safety efforts.
For pro-Israel and Jewish community readers, the Winograd Initiative is presented as a significant investment in defending Jewish life and promoting rigorous study of how contemporary hate manifests and how law can respond. Organizers signaled that the work will be both scholarly and practical, seeking to inform legal decision makers and community partners.
This article is based on verified information from the University of Manitoba, Statistics Canada, Bโnai Brith Canada, and CIJA.