Governments play critical role in promoting Holocaust remembrance and education, say participants at ODIHR event in Moldova

The role of governments in promoting Holocaust remembrance and education was the focus of a roundtable discussion co-organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Chisinau on 28 January 2014, a day after the International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Government officials and representatives from civil society and minority communities in Moldova, including the Jewish and Roma communities, drew on practical examples from Moldova and other countries to explore the significance of promoting Holocaust remembrance and education.

“The Holocaust is a powerful reminder of the need to protect, promote and defend human rights,” said Floriane Hohenberg, Head of ODIHR’s Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Department. “By promoting Holocaust remembrance, governments can also speak out against contemporary manifestations of racism and anti-Semitism.”

The participants noted that OSCE participating States can do more to raise awareness about the Holocaust.

“In light of worrying manifestations of Holocaust denial and trivialization in many different countries, it is vital for governments to ensure that education about the Holocaust is part of school curricula,” said Dr. Kathrin Meyer, Executive Secretary of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

The event was co-organized with the Moldovan Foreign Ministry, the Bureau for Interethnic Relations of Moldova and the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.