Launch of UK presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance
Statement by Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon delivered by video to International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance members ahead of the launch of UK presidency
Good afternoon everyone,
The United Kingdom is truly honoured to take on the presidency of this important Alliance tomorrow.
It is an immense pleasure to follow Croatia, and my thanks go to them, in particular. If I may single out Ambassador Gras and Sara Lustig, for their excellent work on the future of remembrance.
We look forward to carrying the torch forward, with all of you, our 34 friends from around the world, taking vital steps forward in education, in remembrance and in research, to ensure the Holocaust, the darkest moment in human history, remains seared in our collective memory.
When we look at recent events, the hate against communities, and the attacks of October 7th last year, that fuelled further conflict in the Middle East, and the tragic loss of innocent lives, has also seen the global surge of hate, the global surge in antisemitism.
This demonstrates in starkest terms the need for the world to truly learn the lessons of the Holocaust.
The need for us to renew our vow: Never Again. And then do all we can to mean it.
The theme of the UK presidency will be ‘In Plain Sight’.
Because, let me be frank, the Holocaust did not take place in some hidden dark corner. It took place ‘In Plain Sight’.
We will bring into focus all those who played a part, be they perpetrators, rescuers, or indeed bystanders.
We will shine a spotlight on the circumstances that led to the Holocaust, and the nature of society that allowed the murder of six million Jewish men, women and children, simply because of the faith they followed, simply because of who they were.
With each passing year, what is factual is there are fewer survivors left to share their precious testimonies, to tell their stories directly, to educate.
It is therefore vital that their testimonies are preserved for future generations. And that we continue to protect the facts of the Holocaust.
The United Kingdom’s presidency of this important alliance coincides with the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and the 25th anniversary of the Stockholm Declaration.
These anniversaries are of course a poignant moment for us to consider how far we have come, and what we have achieved collectively as an alliance.
It’s also an opportunity to take stock of the challenges we face today – historic challenges, but also new challenges we face.
So let me end by saying a huge thank you, to each and every one of you, for all that you are doing in helping us face these challenges together, and during the course of our presidency I look forward to welcoming you all to both Glasgow and London during the course of this year.
Thank you.