Israeli Embassy observes Int'l Holocaust Remembrance Day

Kathmandu, Jan 28: The Embassy of Israel in Kathmandu observed the International Holocaust Remembrance Day by organizing a memorial programme in Kathmandu on Tuesday. The Day is commemorated annually on January 27 at a call of the United Nations to honour the memory of the victims of the Holocaust.

The event marked the remembrance of the six million Jewish men, women, and children murdered by the Nazi regime during the Second World War, one of the darkest chapters in human history. The programme was held under the global initiative “Zikaron BaSalon – Memory in the Living Room,” aimed at preserving Holocaust memory through education and personal testimonies.

Addressing the gathering, Israeli Ambassador to Nepal, Shmulik Arie Bass described the Holocaust as a black mark on human civilization and stressed the importance of remembering the tragedy to ensure that hatred, racism, and genocide never recur. He underlined the responsibility of the international community to combat antisemitism and all forms of discrimination.

Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal, Top Bahadur Magar, also spoke at the event, highlighting the lessons of the Holocaust and its role in shaping modern international human rights law. He emphasized the need to promote dignity, tolerance, and respect for human rights across societies.

The programme was attended by diplomats, government officials, representatives of international organizations, civil society members, and students. Messages and testimonies from Holocaust survivors, including a recorded testimony by survivor Sophia Geller, were presented during the event. 

Cultural performances by Nepali students added a reflective dimension to the ceremony, reinforcing the message of remembrance and hope.

Concluding the programme, the Embassy of Israel reaffirmed its commitment to Holocaust education, remembrance, and the promotion of peace, tolerance, and mutual respect, stressing that remembering the past is essential to building a more humane future.  (RSS)