- World Holocaust Forum
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The World Holocaust Forum (also World Forum “Let My People Live!”) is a series of high-profile events targeted at preserving memories of Holocaust atrocities and the other tragic events of World War II. In order to organise and support the World Forum, a special foundation was established in 2005 under the chairmanship of Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor, President of the European Jewish Congress and Chair of the Forum’s Organising Committee.
Two World Forums have already been held. The First World Forum “Let My People Live!” was held in 2005 in Kraków (Poland) to mark 60 years since the liberation of the concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. The First Forum was attended by over 20 official delegations led by their heads of state, among them President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, President of Israel Moshe Katsav, President of Poland Aleksander Kwaśniewski, and Vice President of the United States of America Richard Cheney. The first World Forum received widespread media coverage.[1][2]
The Second World Forum “Let My People Live!” was held in 2006 in Kiev under the auspices of President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko to commemorate 65 years since the Babi Yar tragedy. The Forum was attended by over 1,000 people from 60 countries, including representatives of international political and public organisations, among them the UN, the European Union, the Council of Europe, the World Jewish Congress, the European Jewish Congress, the American Jewish Congress, the European Jewish Fund, etc.[3]
The World Holocaust Forum Declaration was adopted at the end of the Second Forum and calls for preserving memories about the tragic events of World War II and uniting efforts in the fight against xenophobia, anti-Semitism and international terrorism.[4]
Contents
Third World Forum "Let My People Live!"
The third World Forum “Let My People Live!” took place on January 27, 2010 in Krakow, Poland and was dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. The third World Holocaust Forum was aimed at preserving memories of the events of World War II, creating connections between the past and the future and preventing any recurrence of the tragedies of the past. President of the European Jewish Congress Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor was the leader and organiser of the project.[5]
The Forum was the first in a long list of commemorative events planned for 2010 to observe the 65th anniversary of victory in World War II. The Forum was a starting point of political significance meant to attract the attention of the global community and remind the public of the unparalleled united struggle by members of the Allied coalition against fascism and the decisive role of the Soviet Union in Europe’s liberation.
The Forum was attended by a group of 100 European Parliament deputies headed by Jerzy Buzek, representatives of other European institutions and official delegations from around the world. Ivan Martynushkin and Yakov Vinnichenko, both World War II veterans and liberators of Auschwitz-Birkenau, were among the Forum’s honorary guests.[6]
The third “Let My People Live!” World Forum was addressed by the following participants:
• Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor, President of the European Jewish Congress and the Forum’s leader and organiser
• Jerzy Buzek, President of the European Parliament
• Aleksander Kwaśniewski, former president of the Republic of Poland, Chairman of the European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation
EJC President, leader and organizer of the Forum Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor
• Yisrael Meir Lau, Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv and Buchenwald survivor
• Avner Shalev, Chairman of the Directorate of Yad Vashem
• Ronald Lauder, President of the World Jewish Congress[7]
U.S. President Barack Obama[8] and President of France Nicolas Sarkozy[9] sent their messages to the Forum. Both leaders’ addresses called for the world community to always remember the tragedies of the past and suggested that memory should factor into policy.
The main result of the Forum was an announcement of the initiative to establish a new special educational and research institution, a Pan-European University of Global Security and Tolerance. The key objective of the new organisation will be to assist the international community in its struggle for global security in the face of challenges posed by extremism. The University will be focused on arranging cross-cultural educational and instructional programmes designed to harmonise the development of international cooperation and education.[10]
Organisers
• World Holocaust Forum Foundation
• Yad Vashem – the Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Authority
Patronage
The third “Let My People Live!” Forum was held under the honorary patronage of:
• President of the Republic of Poland Lech Kaczyński
• President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek
• First Permanent President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy
Forum Media Coverage
• Moshe Kantor. Learning for the future, Jerusalem Post, 26.01.2010
• Nazi Camp Survivors Dwindle to a Few, Wall Street Journal, 27.01.2010
• Sarkozy: Auschwitz, symbol of evil, not forgotten, AFP, 27.01.2010
• Iran has same plan as Hitler, says Auschwitz survivor, The Times, 28.01.2010
• Survivors mark liberation of Auschwitz, Sydney Morning Herald, 28.01.2010
• Holocaust survivors focus on future lessons, Euronews, 28.01.2010
• Anti-Semitism in Poland shows need for Holocaust education, Haaretz, 28.01.2010
• EU parliament president commemorates Holocaust, The Parliament.com, 28.01.2010
• The last survivors return to Auschwitz, The Jewish Chronicle, 28.01.2010
Holocaust Remembrance Day in Brussels
On January 25, 2011 at the European Parliament in Brussels on the eve of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day there took place a commemoration meeting devoted to the memory of the Holocaust. It was timed to the 66th anniversary of the liberation of concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau by the Soviet Army. Among principal organizers of the event were the European Jewish Congress, the European Jewish Community Center, the European Coalition for Israel, as well as the European Parliament and the Information and Diaspora Ministry of Israel. The President of the European Jewish Congress Moshe Kantor, the President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek, the Information and Diaspora Minister of Israel Yuli Edelstein, the Chief Rabby of Tel Aviv Yisrael Meir Lau addressed the audience of those who came to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust. Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy became the guest of honour at this event.
References
- ^ Declaration of the First World Forum “Let My People Live!”, Krakow, January 27, 2005
- ^ New York Times, 27.01.2005
- ^ BBC News, 26.09.2006
- ^ Declaration of the Second “Let My People Live!” World Forum, Kiev, September 27, 2006
- ^ EU parliament president commemorates Holocaust, The Parliament.com, 28.01.2010
- ^ Anti-Semitism in Poland shows need for Holocaust education, Haaretz, 28.01.2010
- ^ Krakow Hosts the Third “Let My People Live!” International Forum, 27.01.2010
- ^ Survivors mark liberation of Auschwitz, Sydney Morning Herald, 28.01.2010
- ^ Sarkozy: Auschwitz, symbol of evil, not forgotten, AFP, 27.01.2010
- ^ Iran has same plan as Hitler, says Auschwitz survivor, The Times, 28.01.2010
External links
Categories:- International conferences
- 2005 conferences
- 2006 conferences
- Non-profit organizations based in Europe
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