I hope and pray that the message will go out to every country on earth, that the leaders of the world will stand united in the fight against racism, antisemitism and extremism. This is the call of our time. This is our challenge. This is our choice.
(Communicated by the President’s Spokesperson)
President Reuven Rivlin addressed over 40 global leaders at the official dinner this evening (Wednesday 22 January 2020), at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem in honor of the World Holocaust Forum. HM King Felipe VI of Spain and Israel Prize laureate Prof Yehuda Bauer also spoke. Among the honored guests are the President of France, the President of Germany, the President of Italy and many others.
The evening began with a reception with the president welcoming each guest as they arrived with a handshake. The guests went from the reception to their places at the table for the official dinner.
The president began his remarks by saying, “On behalf of the State of Israel and the People of Israel, welcome to Jerusalem. Thank you all for being here. This is a historic gathering, not only for Israel and the Jewish People, but for all humanity. This evening as we remember the victims of the Holocaust, and World War Two, we also mark the victory of freedom and human dignity.
“Tomorrow we will gather at Yad Vashem, to remember and to promise - never again,” he continued. “Yad Vashem is a leading center for Holocaust research and education, guided by historians. Historical research should be left to historians. The role of political leaders is to shape the future. Tonight, we will have the honor of hearing Professor Yehuda Bauer, Academic Advisor to Yad Vashem, and one of the world’s leading Holocaust experts. At a time when more and more survivors are leaving us, this gathering is an expression of our shared commitment, to pass on the historical facts and lessons of the Shoah, to the next generation.
“Dear friends. Viktor Frankl, the philosopher and Holocaust survivor, wrote: ‘We, who lived in concentration camps, can remember the men who comforted others, and gave away their last piece of bread. They may have been few, but they prove that everything can be taken from a man, but one thing: the last of human freedoms to choose one's own way.’”
His remarks ended with a call to work together to confront antisemitism: “The future lies in the choices we make, especially, those we make together, as countries and nations. I hope and pray that from this room, the message will go out to every country on earth, that the leaders of the world will stand united in the fight against racism, antisemitism and extremism, in defending democracy and democratic values. This is the call of our time. This is our challenge. This is our choice.”