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."
