On Monday, Israel took over the Presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) from the United Kingdom. Dani Dayan, Chairman of Yad Vashem, will serve as the IHRA Chair during Israel’s tenure.
The Israeli Presidency follows the UK’s successful tenure, which, under the motto “In Plain Sight,” led to the adoption of key IHRA resources such as the Recommendations on Teaching and Learning about the Genocide of the Roma. It also launched initiatives like “My Hometown,” encouraging young people to research their towns’ Holocaust history, and produced a report assessing the achievements and challenges since adopting the Stockholm Declaration 25 years ago.
At the handover ceremony in Jerusalem, outgoing IHRA Chair Lord Eric Pickles reflected on the UK Presidency’s goals: “The aim was to bring out the best in the IHRA, engender confidence in difficult times, and, above all, strengthen the organization. Those of us who attended the poignant 80th-anniversary ceremony at Auschwitz-Birkenau in January know that we will never see the like again. Ten years from now, at the 90th anniversary, it is unlikely there will be Holocaust survivors to speak. We are now the custodians of their memory. We must remember and tell the truth.”
Israel’s Presidency will be guided by the theme “Crossroads of Generations,” highlighting the transition of Holocaust remembrance from survivors to future generations.
Incoming IHRA Chair Dani Dayan, addressing the audience at the ceremony, emphasized this responsibility: “We are at a crossroads of generations, and the responsibility of preserving the memory and sharing the stories of the Holocaust will soon rest solely on our shoulders. The voices of the victims and survivors demand that we honor their legacy by standing firm against Holocaust denial, distortion, and hatred. In a world witnessing a dramatic rise in antisemitism and grappling with the challenges and opportunities of emerging technologies, our obligation to historical truth has never been more critical.”
“Our Presidency aims to lead in leveraging the IHRA’s accomplishments, expertise, and potential to enhance Holocaust remembrance worldwide,” Dayan said.
