Remembering the Holocaust victims in Turkmenistan

Speakers representing the Diplomatic and Jewish communities in the country noted that such events provide opportunities to develop a deeper appreciation of the victims and survivors. They stressed  “placing the victims and survivors in the centre of historical research, and that learning and remembrance illuminates the humanity of victims of atrocities today, and the impact of antisemitism fueled by disinformation and the distortion of history. Focusing on the humanity of victims prompts us to remember our humanity, and our responsibility to combat hate speech, combat antisemitism and prejudice - to do all we can to prevent genocide”.

Following the panel discussion and music interlude the participants explored the photo exhibition “The Butterfly project: remembering the children of the Holocaust” that outlined the impact of the Holocaust on children, and showcases an educational initiative called "The Butterfly Project" developed by Holocaust Museum Houston to teach this history to young people, encourage them to remember the 1.5 million children who perished and to stand up against hatred and prejudice.

“Remembering, discussing and learning about the Holocaust is important not only because it helps us gain a better understanding of the past, but because it also raises awareness about contemporary forms of antisemitism, xenophobia and other forms of hatred. It illustrates how these can create the preconditions for genocide”, noted Dmitry Shlapachenko, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan during his welcoming remarks.