Mr. President of the State of Israel
Mr. Prime Minister
Mr. Chairman of Yad Vashem
Members of the Cabinet and the Knesset
Ladies and Gentlemen
The completion of the new wing of the Holocaust Museum is indeed a remarkable project.
From a historical perspective, it contributes to the remembrance of the victims of the Holocaust through extensive research and the presentation of individual stories which focus on the human person.
From a political perspective, it contributes to the remembrance of the consequences on humanity as a result of the absence of effective mechanisms of democratic control and balancing powers, the lack of a shared commitment to the protection of basic individual rights and of a spirit of toleration and respect of religious and ethnic diversity.
From an architectural perspective, the amazingly-designed building promotes the museum in an appropriate way.
At this point I would like to refer to the initiatives taken by the Hellenic State. Hellenism and the Hellenic state actively contribute to the purposes of peace, solidarity and mutual respect between peoples.
The Hellenic Parliament took the unanimous decision to declare the 27th of January as commemoration day for the Greek-Jews martyrs and heroes of the Holocaust. For the first time this year educational material, was prepared and distributed to schools.
Furthermore, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and National Education and Religious Affairs jointly took the initiative to apply in order for Greece to join the Stockholm Declaration and become member of the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research.
Considering the fact that man is subject to his history and not object, we believe that respect to the values of humanity, has to be our commitment for our future.
Thank you.
