More than 40 presidents, royals, prime ministers and parliamentary leaders from Europe, North America and Australia, will attend the Fifth World Holocaust Forum, next week in Jerusalem, including the President of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades.
The event, entitled “Remembering the Holocaust, Fighting Antisemitism,” is being organized by the World Holocaust Forum Foundation, in cooperation with Yad Vashem, under the auspices of the President of the State of Israel, Reuven Rivlin. It will take place on January 23 at the Warsaw Ghetto Square in Yad Vashem, to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
According to an announcement by Yad Vashem, apart from President Anastasiades, other leaders who confirmed their attendance include the President of Greece Prokopis Pavlopoulos, of Russia Vladimir Putin, of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier, of France Emmanuel Macron and of Italy Sergio Mattarella.
The President of the European Council Charles Michel, of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and of the European Parliament David Sassoli will be there as well. Among others, Charles, the Prince of Wales, the King of the Netherlands Willem-Alexander, the Governor General of Canada and of Australia also confirmed their participation.
President Rivlin and the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu will address the gathering, along with Prince Charles, Macron, Putin, Steinmeier and a senior leader from the United States of America. Holocaust survivors, Yad Vashem Council members and Forum organizers will also take part and the event will conclude with a memorial ceremony.
“As the world marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the message is clear – antisemitism has no place in our global society” says the announcement by Yad Vashem.
It is added that this historic event takes place against the background of the rise in hateful and violent expressions of antisemitism, especially in Europe. “Given this alarming situation, efforts to educate about the dangers of antisemitism, racism and xenophobia and foster Holocaust commemoration, education and research have made this event more crucial and relevant than ever” it is noted.
Cyprus adopted last December the non-legally binding, working definition of anti-semitism, as employed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, as a useful guidance tool in education and training.
(Cyprus News Agency)
