President Iohannis and his wife Carmen were guided through the Holocaust History Museum by Director of Yad Vashem's Hall of Names Dr. Alexander Avram (right).
For more pictures click here
08 March 2016
Romanian President H.E. Mr. Klaus Werner Iohannis visited Yad Vashem today (March 8, 2016). The President toured the Holocaust History Museum and Synagogue, participated in a memorial ceremony in the Hall of Remembrance, visited the Children's Memorial and signed the Yad Vashem Guest Book.
At the conclusion of his visit, the President said: "My tour of Yad Vashem and the Children's Memorial was an emotional and fascinating experience. The Holocaust was a unique event, one that can never be forgotten. My visit convinced me that education is the base mechanism for avoiding disasters like this in the future. I saw many artifacts donated to Yad Vashem by Jewish communities and organizations in Romania, and I am grateful that these items contributed to the establishment of this Museum.
"From the very beginning (of my presidency) - one of my stated goals was to guard the memory of the Holocaust victims, and the events of today illustrate that this promise has been kept. Coincidentally, today, as I stand in Yad Vashem, this evening in Berlin a ceremony will take place at which Romania will take upon itself the chairmanship of IHRA (the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance). These two events have a special and vital meaning. They say that we stand firm against the neglect of the past. They say that we will not avoid speaking openly of guilt and responsibility. This is not just a coincidence, it proves how Romania has taken upon itself to guard the memory of the Shoah, to fight against antisemitism and hatred, and to safeguard the legacy of Jewish culture in Romania."
