Meeting of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance in Geneva
Over four days, more than 200 experts and politicians from 31 IHRA member countries, 11 observer countries including Bulgaria and seven international partner organisations discussed education, commemoration and research on the Holocaust as a contemporary political issue.
At the Geneva meeting from June 26 to 29 2017, delegates focused on topics such as supporting the preservation and protection of Holocaust-related sites in and outside the member states and sharing good practice in this area.
During the meeting, the Ministry decided to accept Bulgaria as a liason country, making a necessary step towards full membership. The Director of the State Institute for Culture is a member of the Bulgarian delegation and participates actively in the work of the established Interdepartmental Working Group under the direction of Ambassador Plamen Bonchev. Members of the team include representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science, the Archives State Agency, a representative of the Ombudsman, among others.
The Swiss Presidency hosted a discussion at which the first strategic framework of the IHRA was discussed and adopted. "This will make the work of the International Alliance much more effective and efficient and will increase the public importance of the organization's activities," said Ambassador Benno Bättig.
During the plenary session, Luxembourg's candidacy for chairman of the organisation was approved for 2019, when the country will take office from Italy.
The second plenary meeting for the Swiss Presidency will be held in Bern in November 2017.
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance brings together governments and experts to strengthen, develop and popularize education, commemoration and research on Holocaust issues worldwide and to honor the 2000 Stockholm commitments.