The mayor of Reggio Emilia in northern Italy walked back a requirement for teachers joining the International Study Group on the Reggio Emilia Approach hosted by Reggio Children to sign a document on human rights that says they condemn genocide.

Sixty-eight Jewish educators canceled the trip, citing concerns about antisemitism, especially after pro-Palestinian groups started scrutinizing their social media accounts. These groups protested the teachers’ participation, claiming that the schools they represented had ties to Israel.

Reggio Children President Maddalena Tedeschi had discussed asking visitors to sign a statement denouncing “the occupation of territories and genocide.” Reggio Children spokesperson Francesca Severini said that discussions on the matter ultimately did not result in an officially adopted statement, contradicting earlier claims by the organization itself about the statement and Reggio Emilia’s mayor’s reference to the commitment in a press release.

The U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, said Wednesday that the mayor had retracted the requirement, stating on X, “We welcome Reggio Emilia Mayor Marco Massari’s reaffirmation that American Jewish educators are welcome in his city, regardless of their identity or beliefs and his expressed desire to resume the educational exchange. We appreciate the strong cooperation with local law enforcement to help ensure visiting educators can participate safely, free from intimidation or political pressure.”

“I thank our embassy and consulate for working with my office to address this issue,” he added.