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Young people from 62 countries and
five continents gathered at Yad Vashem’s International School for
Holocaust Studies for a three-day Youth Congress that began on
International Holocaust Remembrance Day, January 27, 2008.
Ranging in age from 17 to 19, and including among them Christians,
Jews, Muslims and Buddhists, and speaking some 30 different
languages, participants spoke of
shaping Holocaust remembrance and its importance to coming
generations.
Countries as varied as Senegal,
Morocco, Australia, Thailand, Nepal, China, The Gambia, Canada,
Russia, Poland, France, Great Britain, Guatemala, Turkey, Israel
and the United States are represented. The Congress, under the
patronage of UNESCO,
is devoted to the study of the Holocaust and discussions of its
universal significance.
On the first day of the conference,
participants toured the Holocaust History Museum and the Valley of
the Communities and participated in a memorial ceremony in the
Hall of Remembrance. The opening session of the Congress was
attended by Israeli Minister of Education Professor Yuli Tamir,
Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate Avner Shalev, and Director
of The International School for Holocaust Studies Dorit Novak,
with greetings from
Mr Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO. Reflecting
upon the universal lessons that emerge from the Holocaust,
Professor Tamir said “we are remembering for the sake of the
future, because we believe that the future is determined by the
way we understand the past”.
The second day of the conference
continued at Yad Vashem with a tour of the Avenue of the Righteous
Among the Nations. Participants attended lectures and discussions,
including a lecture titled “Ambassadors: The Power of Youth Around
the World” by
Minister of Foreign Affairs Tzipi Livni.
H.E. Mr. Henri Etoundi Essomba, Ambassador of Cameroon in Israel
and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, addressed the delegates as
well. The second day of the conference concluded with meetings
between the delegates and Holocaust survivors.
On
Tuesday, the final day of the conference, participants toured
other sites on the campus, including the Museum of Holocaust Art,
Synagogue, and Learning Center. They met with President of the
State of Israel Shimon Peres and Holocaust survivor and Chief
Rabbi of Tel Aviv Rabbi Israel Meir Lau. At the concluding session
of the Congress, the participants presented an international youth
declaration formulated during the conference to Chairman of the
Yad Vashem Directorate Avner Shalev and Chairman of the Yad Vashem
Council Joseph (Tommy) Lapid.
Additional
Activities Marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day
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