IHRA Chair’s Statement on Shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh
“It was with great shock that I learned of the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh on 27 October. As the Chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, and in the name of all 31 Member Countries, I express sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who were killed. Our thoughts and sympathies are with the survivors, and the whole Jewish community in Pittsburgh. We condemn this antisemitic hate crime and call on the international community and all political, social and religious leaders on the national and local level to speak out against hate...
IHRA Chair's Statement on Comments of Italian Minister of Interior, Matteo Salvini
"As Chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), I was deeply troubled by the comments made by Matteo Salvini, Italian Minister of Interior, on 18 June 2018 in which he suggested a census be taken of Roma and Sinti in Italy and spoke disrespectfully of Roma. The IHRA is committed to countering distortion and preserving the historical record. Raising awareness of the prejudice towards Roma and Sinti before, during and after the Second World War as well as demonstrating the link between the history of persecution and the present situation of the Roma is a key objective of...
IHRA Chair's Statement on amendment of Polish National Remembrance Law
"As Chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, I welcome the decision of the Polish Parliament to amend the Polish National Remembrance Law Amendment by removing the criminal penalty of imprisonment. The IHRA community – including Poland – adheres to our founding document, the Stockholm Declaration, which outlines the shared commitment of our Member Countries to encourage the study of the Holocaust in all its dimensions and to uphold its truth against those who would deny it. The 31 Member Countries of the IHRA share the Polish government’s opposition to the historically...
IHRA Chair's Statement on Antisemitic Comments by President Mahmoud Abbas
"As Chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, I was dismayed and very worried by the comments made by Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas, on 2 May in which he used antisemitic stereotypes in public discourse, falsely claiming that the Holocaust was a result of Jews’ “social function” and purported association with loans and banking. Making mendacious allegations about Jews controlling the economy is one of the typical examples of antisemitic stereotypes denounced in the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism. Attempts to blame the Jews for causing their own...
IHRA Chair's Statement on the Murder of Mireille Knoll
"It was with deep sadness and concern that I heard the news of Mireille Knoll’s death in Paris last week. The decision of French prosecutors to file preliminary charges for murder with antisemitic motives is correct and sets an important international signal that governments, judicial systems and police forces must be aware of and sensitive to antisemitic motivations for hate crimes. I commend the statement of French leaders condemning antisemitism and am convinced that the French prosecutors will ensure a thorough investigation into the crime. The fact that today, some eighty years...
Statement on President Duda's decision to sign law
“It was with deep regret that we learned that President Duda of Poland has signed the amendment of the Act on the Institute of National Remembrance into power. Over the last few days, the experts of our Committee on Antisemitism and Holocaust Denial and our Honorary Chairman, Professor Yehuda Bauer, have all raised their voices to underline the right to free and open research and discourse. We are disappointed that their voices, along with so many other diplomats, educators, and academics, were not heeded. The IHRA community – including Poland – is committed to our founding document, the S...
IHRA Chair appeals to Polish President not to sign law
"As Chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, I was deeply concerned to hear that the Polish Senate passed the amended legislation yesterday. I underline once again Poland’s commitment to our founding document, the Stockholm Declaration, which outlines the shared commitment of all our Member Countries to encourage the study of the Holocaust in all its dimensions and to uphold its truth against those who would deny it. I continue to emphasize the right to free and open research and discourse and I strongly appeal to President Duda to reflect on the comments from the...
IHRA Honorary Chairman Statement on Polish Legislation
"I would like to comment on the current issue of the IHRA's attitude to the amendment to Polish legislation, passed by the Polish parliament, relating to the so-called protection of Polish national honor dealing with the Holocaust. The IHRA's mission, as defined in the Stockholm Declaration, is to deal with the memory of the Holocaust, and further education and research on the issues connected with that genocide. Poland is committed to the Declaration, and that is the basis of its membership in the IHRA. The legislation under discussion deals, beyond the verbiage, with at least three...
IHRA Committee on Antisemitism and Holocaust Denial Statement on Polish Legislation
"We, the Committee on Antisemitism and Holocaust Denial of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, wish to express our extreme concern over the recent decision by the Parliament of Poland on 26 January 2018 and the Senate of Poland on 31 January 2018 to pass an amendment to the act on the Institute of National Remembrance. Should the President of Poland sign it into law, this amendment brings with it the possibility of a government-imposed fine or up to a three-year term of imprisonment to persons, both within and outside of Poland, who “ascribe to the Polish People or to the Polish...
IHRA Chair's Statement on the Amendment to Act on the Institute of National Remembrance
"It was with great concern that I took note of the amendment to the legislation adopted by the lower house of the Polish Parliament on the eve of UN-mandated International Holocaust Remembrance Day. As Chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, I underline our member countries’ commitment to our founding document, the Stockholm Declaration: “Together we must uphold the terrible truth of the Holocaust against those who deny it ... We share a commitment to encourage the study of the Holocaust in all its dimensions.” It is in light of this commitment that the IHRA...