Terezín Declaration
Terezín Declaration
List of States: 1. Albania; 2. Argentina; 3. Australia; 4. Austria; 5. Belarus; 6. Belgium; ;7. Bosnia and Herzegovina; 8. Brazil; 9. Bulgaria; 10. Canada; 11. Croatia; 12. Cyprus; 13. Czech Republic; 14. Denmark; 15. Estonia; 16. Finland; 17. France; 18. North Macedonia; 19. Germany; 20. Greece; 21. Hungary; 22. Ireland; 23. Israel; 24. Italy; 25. Latvia; 26. Lithuania; 27. Luxembourg; 28. Malta; 29. Moldova; 30. Montenegro; 31. The Netherlands; 32. Norway; 33. Poland; 34. Portugal; 35. Romania; 36. Russia; 37. Slovakia; 38. Slovenia; 39. Spain; 40. Sweden; 41. Switzerland; 42. Turkey; 43. Ukraine; 44. United Kingdom; 45. United States; 46. Uruguay; The Holy See (observer); 47. Serbia (observer) (later endorsed)
Full Text of Terezín Declaration (PDF, 83 KB)
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Program of the International Terezín Declaration Conference
during the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU
Nov 2-4, 2022
The International Terezín Declaration Conference was opened in the Czernin Palace by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavský. The three-day conference took place on November 2 - 4, 2022 and aimed to support the fight against antisemitism, highlighted the role of education and called for the solving of injustices from the time of the Holocaust. It also dealt with the situation of survivors of the war in Ukraine. The event took place with the participation of representatives from 47 signatory states as part of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavský called in his speech on the representatives of the signatory states of the Terezín Declaration to take the necessary steps to fulfill its obligations: "You are aware of the fact that throughout this year we´ve had to deal with critical issues like energy supplies and prices and security among others. However, we are convinced that even in these times we should firmly advocate human rights and pay close attention to other threats that endanger our way of life, including racism and antisemitism." In this context, the head of Czech diplomacy also drew attention to the effects of the war in Ukraine or the threat in the form of disinformation campaigns: "We are now facing armed conflict in Europe, which we thought that would have never happened again, and outbursts of racism and national and religious intolerance. If we do not want history to repeat itself we have to keep Holocaust memory alive and not let any room for disinformation or distortion” said Minister Lipavský.
The participants and guests could watch a video message from the US State Secretary Antony Blinken and they were also greeted by the President of the Czech Republic Miloš Zeman and by the President of the State of Israel Isaac Herzog. The conference was organized by the Office of the Special Envoy for Holocaust, Interfaith Dialogue and Freedom of Religion or Belief of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.
In addition to the main program of the conference the Experts Meeting was organized by the Center for the Study of the Holocaust and Jewish Literature, Department of Czech and Comparative Literature, Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague. Participants and guests also had the opportunity to personally meet Holocaust survivors, listen to a concert by Terezín composers called Defiant Requiem, and visit the Ghetto Terezín. On the occasion of the conference a Youth Video Contest on the topic: “Why and How to Commemorate the Holocaust Today” was announced and selected young contestants from several countries of the world were invited to participate at the conference.
Full Program: Program_TerezinDeclarationConference (PDF, 852 KB)
Chair’s Closing Statement: Chair’s Closing Statement (PDF, 432 KB)
Wednesday Nov 2, 2022 – Experts Meeting & SECCA Meeting
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Thursday Nov 3, 2022 - International Conference
Exhibition of Illustrations from the Ghetto Terezín
1. Opening Speeches
International Terezín Declaration Conference, Prague - Opening Speeches - YouTube
Jan Lipavský, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
Antony Blinken, United States Secretary of State
Secretary Blinken Remarks to Terezín Conference - YouTube
Meirav Cohen, Minister of Social Equality of the State of Israel
Věra Jourová, Vice President of the European Commission
Colette Avital, Chairperson of the Center Organizations of Holocaust Survivors
Dita Kraus, Holocaust survivor born in Prague, known as The Librarian of Auschwitz
Avraham Roet, Holocaust survivor introduced by Sharon Buenos, Global Director, Project Zikaron BaSalon זיכרון בסלון
Moderator: Robert Řehák, Special Envoy for Holocaust, Interfaith Dialogue and FoRB, Czech Republic
2. From Terezín Declaration Conference in 2009 to Terezín Declaration Conference in 2022
International Terezín Declaration Conference - From 2009 to the Conference in 2022 - YouTube
Stuart E. Eizenstat, Chairman of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum Council and Special Advisor on Holocaust Issues to the US Secretary of State
Stuart Eizenstat's Remarks (DOCX, 29 KB)
Ellen Germain, Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues, U.S. Department of State
Chair: Nicolas de Torrenté, Special Envoy to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, Switzerland
3. Parallel Sessions: Education & National Statements
3.1. Education, Countering Disinformation and Future Remembrance
Claudia Roth, Minister of State for Culture and the Media and Member of the German Bundestag
Yehuda Bauer, Israeli Historian and Scholar of the Holocaust (online)
Annette Schavan, Foundation for Remembrance, Responsibility and Future, Former Minister of Education of Germany
Jan Roubínek, Director of Terezín Memorial
Yossi Gevir, Director of External & Governmental Affairs at Yad Vashem
Chair: Ann Bernes, President of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance
Special Presidential Message to the Terezín Declaration Conference Participants
Miloš Zeman, President of the Czech Republic
Miloš Zeman, President of the Czech Republic (PDF, 406 KB)
Isaac Herzog, President of the State of Israel
3.2. National Statements, Contributions and Voluntary Pledges
Claudia Roth, Minister of State in the Chancellery, Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Germany
International Terezín Declaration Conference, Prague - National Statement of Germany - YouTube
Karoline Edtstadler, Minister for Europe, Austria
Internation Terezín Declaration Conference, Prague - Video Message by Karoline Edtstadler - YouTube
Roberto Alejandro Salafia, Ambassador, Argentina
International Terezín Declaration Conference, Prague - National Statement of Argentina - YouTube
Jordan Parvanov, Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Czech Republic
International Terezín Declaration Conference, Prague - National Statement of Bulgaria - YouTube
Stéphane Dion, Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to the European Union and Europe, and Canada’s Ambassador to France and Monaco
International Terezín Declaration Conference, Prague - National Statement of Canada - YouTube
Thomas Piana, Deputy Ambassador for Human Rights, Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, France
International Terezín Declaration Conference, Prague - National Statement of France - YouTube
Tristan Azbej, State Secretary, Hungary
International Terezín Declaration Conference, Prague - National Statement of Hungary - YouTube
Jackie O’Halloran Bernstein, Director, Human Rights, Political Division, Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland
Internation Terezín Declaration Conference, Prague - National Statement of Ireland - YouTube
Meir Bing, Director General, Ministry of Social Equality, Israel
Vitalie Rusu, Ambassador at Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova
Øystein, Lyngroth, Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief and head of IHRA delegation, Norway
International Terezín Declaration Conference, Prague - National Statement of Norway - YouTube
Alexandru Muraru, Envoy of the Government for Promoting Politics of Memory, Fighting Antisemitism and Xenophobia, Romania
International Terezín Declaration Conference, Prague - National Statement of Romania - YouTube
Lepša Štulić, Minister Counsellor at the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Prague, Serbia
Simon Geissbühler, Assistant Secretary of State and Head, Peace and Human Rights Division, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland
International Terezín Declaration Conference, Prague - National Statement of Switzerland - YouTube
Egemen Bağış, Ambassador of Türkiye to the Czech Republic, Türkiye
Rt Hon Lord Eric Pickles, Special Envoy for post-Holocaust Issues, United Kingdom
Chair: Dan Haezrachy, Special Envoy for Holocaust Era Restitution, Israel
4. National Strategies to Combat Antisemitism and Online Hate Speech
International Terezín Declaration Conference - National Strategies to Combat Antisemitism - YouTube
Rabbi Andrew Baker, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Anti-Semitism & American Jewish Committee
František Vrabel, Founder of Semantic Visions, a Prague-based analytics firm that collects and analyzes 90% of the world’s online news content
Stéphane Dion, Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to the European Union and Europe, and Canada’s Ambassador to France and Monaco
Irina Rosensaft, Digital Transformation Lead at the Central Welfare Board of Jews in Germany; Jewish Diplomatic Corps, World Jewish Congress
Chair: Katharina von Schnurbein, European Commission Coordinator on combatting Antisemitism
5. Tackling Injustices from the Time of the Holocaust - Immovable Property and Looted Art
Hannah Lessing, Austrian National Fund
David Zivie, Head of Mission for Research and Restitution of Looted Cultural Property 1933-1945, French Ministry of Culture
Anne Webber, Co-Chair of the Commission for Looted Art in Europe
Wesley Fisher, Director of Research, Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany
Ferdinand Trauttmansdorff, former Austrian Ambassador in Prague
Chair: Rt Hon Lord Eric Pickles, United Kingdom Special Envoy for post-Holocaust Issues
6. Social welfare of the Holocaust Survivors and Helping to the Holocaust Survivors in Ukraine
Greg Schneider, Executive VP of the Claims Conference
Maya Cimeša Samokovlija, Executive Director of Community Relations, World Jewish Congress
Chair: Mark Weitzman, COO WJRO, Former Chair of IHRA Antisemitism Committee
7. Presentation of the Conference Outputs and of the International Youth Video Contest
Presentation of the winning videos of the International Video Contest: "Why and How to Commemorate the Holocaust Today?"
Tomáš Burak and Ondřej Gajdoš (Czech Republic)
Shivering Hands (2022) - YouTube
Agáta Kobrová, Adam Karel Roubal and Jan Jesus Tolar (Czech Republic)
Nataliia Lira (Ukraine) and Lydia Tischler (United Kingdom)
BY SOME MIRACLE WE MANAGED TO FIND EACH OTHER - YouTube
Kolby Sasser (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
“People.” SHORT FILM #terezindeclaration - YouTube
Benjamin Schreiber (Canada)
Terezin Declaration Film - How Can We Prevent Future Genocides? - YouTube
End of Session
Defiant Requiem Concert: Hours of Freedom: The Story of the Terezín Composer
Opening speech:
Stuart E. Eizenstat, Chairman of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum Council and Special Advisor on Holocaust Issues to the US Secretary of State
Anna Azari, Ambassador of Israel to the Czech Republic
Tomáš Pojar, Advisor for Foreign and Security Policy to the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic
Hours of Freedom is a stirring multimedia concert-drama featuring music by composers imprisoned in the Theresienstadt (Terezín) Concentration Camp during WWII. Presented as nine chapters with titles including, “Hope”, “Fate”, “Longing” and “The Eyewitness” this concert combines music, video, and narrative to highlight works by Viktor Ullmann, Gideon Klein, Pavel Haas, Rudolf Karel, and others. The compositions performed portray the agony and suffering of camp life, along with the inspiration, revelation, harmony, and hope that comes through music.
Created & written by Murry Sidlin
Presented by The Defiant Requiem Foundation
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Friday Nov 4, 2022 – Tour to Terezín
Guided Visit of the Ghetto Terezín
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Detailed Program of the Experts Meeting
Wednesday Nov 2, 2022
(Trauttmansdorff Palace)
Experts Meeting - Terezín Declaration Conference
Experts Meeting is held under the honorary auspices of the Charles University Rector Prof. MUDr. Milena Králíčková, Ph.D and organized by the Center for the Study of the Holocaust and Jewish Literature, Department of Czech and Comparative Literature, Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague.
Opening Speech
Prof. MUDr. Milena Králíčková, Ph.D, Rector of the Charles University in Prague
PhDr. Milan Žonca, Ph.D., Vice-Dean for International Relations
Libuše Heczková, Director of the Department of Czech and Comparative Literature, Faculty of Arts, Charles University
Key Speakers
Julius H. Schoeps, Founding Director of The Moses Mendelssohn Center for European Jewish studies, University of Potsdam: The Deportation of my Grandparents Käthe and Julius Schoeps from Berlin to Theresienstadt
Mag. Natascha Drubek-Meyer, Ph.D, The School of Slavonic and East, European Studies (SSEES), University College London: Five Reasons Why the Film Made in The Ghetto Theresienstadt Matters Today
Chair: ThDr. Petr J. Vinš, Center for the Study of the Holocaust and Jewish Literature, Faculty of Arts, Charles University
Parallel Sessions:
Session A: Terezín after Three-quarters of a Century
Jiří Sozanský, PhDr. Jan Roubínek, B.A. (Terezín Memorial): Jiří Sozanský’s Terezín Ghetto as Inspiration
Prof. Jiří Holý, Department of Czech and Comparative Literature, Faculty of Arts, Charles University: Czech and German-Language Literature in Terezín
Chair: Mag. Petr Brod, M.A.
Presentations by Students of the Faculty of Arts
Šárka Sladovníková: Ghetto Theresienstadt in Czechoslovak and Czech Feature Film
Hana Nichtburgerová, M.A.: Richard Glazar in Terezín and in Treblinka
Tereza Málková: Girl᾿s Magazine Bonaco in Terezín
Session B: Reflecting upon the Holocaust
Prof. Joanna Dyduch, PhD., Institute of the Middle and Far East, Jagiellonian University, Kraków: Holocaust memory in contemporary Poland: Developments, disputes, and controversies
Avraham Weber, University of Marburg, Current changes in Holocaust research and its effects on international litigation
Dr. Olaf Glöckner, Moses Mendelssohn Center for European Jewish Studies, University of Potsdam: Between silent commemoration and "yolocaust": Debates on handling the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin
PhDr. et Mgr. Marcela Menachem Zoufalá, Ph.D., Center for the Study of the Holocaust and Jewish Literature, Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague:
Joint-Reading of the names of Jewish and Romani Holocaust victims on Yom HaShoah: Contemporary polemic in the Czech Republic
PhDr. Zbyněk Tarant, Ph.D, Department of Middle East Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of West Bohemia, Plzeň: Holocaust appropriation during Covid-19 - A new challenge to the Holocaust memory?
Mgr. Jiří Smlsal, Institute of Economic and Social History, Faculty of Arts, Charles University: Confiscations of Romani property during the Holocaust
Chair: Mgr. Jan Fingerland, Czech Radio
Discussant: Matthias Weller, The Rhenish Friedrich Wilhelm University of Bonn
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Contact Details
Office of the Special Envoy for Holocaust, Interfaith Dialogue and Freedom of Religion
Ms. Petra Kaplanová, Coordinator and Administrative Support
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trauttmansdorff Palace
Loretánská Str. 6, 118 00 Praha 1
E-mail: da@mzv.cz
Tel.: +420 224 183 252
More info: https://www.mzv.cz/terezindeclaration
Robert Řehák, Ph.D., Special Envoy for Holocaust, Interfaith Dialogue and Freedom of Religion
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
Trauttmansdorff Palace
Loretánská Str. 6, 118 00 Praha 1
118 00 Praha 1
E-mail: robert_rehak@mzv.cz
Tel.: +420 224 183 253
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Holocaust Era Assets Conference in Prague, June 26-30, 2009
Conference Proceedings
Publication Holocaust Era Assets (PDF, 7 MB)
Photogallery
http://www.eu2009.cz/en/media-service/photo-gallery/first-day-of-holocaust-era-assets-conference-25796/
http://www.eu2009.cz/en/media-service/photo-gallery/second-day-of-holocaust-era-assets-conference-25909/
http://www.eu2009.cz/en/media-service/photo-gallery/second-day-of-holocaust-era-assets-conference---reception-26138/
http://www.eu2009.cz/en/media-service/photo-gallery/third-day-of-holocaust-era-assets-conference-26323/
http://www.eu2009.cz/en/media-service/photo-gallery/third-day-of-holocaust-era-assets-conference---reception-26450/
http://www.eu2009.cz/en/media-service/photo-gallery/fourth-day-of-holocaust-era-assets-conference-26539/
http://www.eu2009.cz/en/media-service/photo-gallery/fifth-day-of-holocaust-era-conference--26659/
More info
http://holocausteraassets.eu/
Important decisions in connection with the Terezín Declaration Conference - Justice for Uncompensated Survivors Today (JUST) Act Report
https://www.state.gov/reports/just-act-report-to-congress/
Pledges presented at the Malmö International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism, October 13, 2021
https://www.government.se/4ad3b7/contentassets/7d3985b4106c41e69d699719533f16c0/outcome-document---pledges-presented-at-the-malmo-international-forum-on-holocaust-remembrance-and-combating-antisemitism.pdf
EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life (2021-2030)
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2021:615:FIN&pk_campaign=doc&pk_source=EUR-Lex&pk_medium=tw&pk_keyword=No2Antisemitism
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.