The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, today joined in the commemoration of the Holocaust Remembrance Day, stressing the importance of keeping alive the awareness of the gravity of what happened – especially for the benefit of future generations – among young people and in schools, so that such crimes never occur again in the history of humanity.
In a video message broadcast to the entire Italian diplomatic-consular network and to Italian schools abroad on the occasion of the Remembrance Day, the Minister said: “The fight against anti-Semitism is an absolute priority for me personally, for the government and for the entire country, which has always been committed to promoting a culture of respect and peaceful coexistence through education, remembrance and the firm defence of human rights”.
‘We must start in primary schools to teach every child that there is no such thing as hating another person because of their religious beliefs. Remembering is a duty, taking action is a responsibility”, Tajani added.
The values that inspire the Italian Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights enshrine the radical rejection of totalitarian and racist ideologies that led to the horrors of World War II. Coinciding with the tragic events of 7 October 2023, there are signs of a growing resurgence of anti-Semitism in Europe and around the world, which is also manifesting itself through senseless attacks, harassment and general hate speech against people of Jewish faith or origin.
Faced with these alarming trends, Italy is determined to remain ever vigilant and to step up its efforts to preserve the Memory of the Shoah. Minister Tajani has reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to the fight against anti-Semitism on several occasions, most recently during his visit to Israel in early January.
Italy remains at the forefront in the fight against all forms of anti-Semitism, both nationally and internationally, reaffirming its total incompatibility with our values and principles and firmly condemning all forms of Holocaust denial, discrimination and violence against the Jewish community.