Serbia remembers Holocaust victims

Serbia is today commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day with a series of manifestations. President Boris Tadic attended the central ceremony held at a memorial site in Belgrade. Serbia remembers Holocaust victims Ahead of the commemorations today, Director of Simon Wiesenthal Center in Jerusalem Efraim Zuroff said that the “world is aware of the Second World War Holocaust horror”, but that there are still Islamic and post-communist countries that deny that crime. He said that it was very important educate young generations and emphasize differences among people as something that connects, instead of separates and leads to conflicts. President of Association of Jewish Communities in Serbia Aleksandar Necak told B92 that anti-Semitism was still present both globally and in Serbia, and that those who called for discrimination must be punished. “The situation is not good. Anti-Semitism has always been present and will probably always be, even in places where there are not any Jews. Anti-Semitism in Serbia, however, is usually expressed through certain anti-Semitic publications, books, individual groups, graffiti and similar manifestations, destruction of monuments and desecration of synagogues. I have spoken to President Boris Tadic about 20 of our lawsuits and criminal charges that have not been processed so far. I was promised that the president would personally investigate why this was happening,” he explained. Meanwhile, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay pointed out that the memory of the victims, and events that preceded the Holocaust, was helping us be wary of outbursts of anti-Semitism and discrimination and prevent escalation of prejudice that could possibly lead to genocide. In 2005, the UN General Assembly designated January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day (IHRD. On January 27, 1945 the Soviet Red Army liberated Auschwitz concentration camp. It is estimated that Nazis killed about six million Jews by the end of the Second World War. Tadic attends the ceremonies in Belgrade (Tanjug)

Serbia remembers Holocaust victims

Ahead of the commemorations today, Director of Simon Wiesenthal Center in Jerusalem Efraim Zuroff said that the “world is aware of the Second World War Holocaust horror”, but that there are still Islamic and post-communist countries that deny that crime.

He said that it was very important educate young generations and emphasize differences among people as something that connects, instead of separates and leads to conflicts.

President of Association of Jewish Communities in Serbia Aleksandar Nećak told B92 that anti-Semitism was still present both globally and in Serbia, and that those who called for discrimination must be punished.

“The situation is not good. Anti-Semitism has always been present and will probably always be, even in places where there are not any Jews. Anti-Semitism in Serbia, however, is usually expressed through certain anti-Semitic publications, books, individual groups, graffiti and similar manifestations, destruction of monuments and desecration of synagogues. I have spoken to President Boris Tadić about 20 of our lawsuits and criminal charges that have not been processed so far. I was promised that the president would personally investigate why this was happening,” he explained.

Meanwhile, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay pointed out that the memory of the victims, and events that preceded the Holocaust, was helping us be wary of outbursts of anti-Semitism and discrimination and prevent escalation of prejudice that could possibly lead to genocide.

In 2005, the UN General Assembly designated January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day (IHRD.

On January 27, 1945 the Soviet Red Army liberated Auschwitz concentration camp.

It is estimated that Nazis killed about six million Jews by the end of the Second World War.