It is thanks to this that the IHRA has become a platform combining the efforts of politicians and experts to strengthen the moral commitment of modern societies to combat the growing wave of anti-Semitism, anti-Gypsyism and other hate ideologies, as well as to prevent negation and distortion of the history and memory of the Holocaust.
In the scope of genocide prevention, IHRA experts support decision-makers with their knowledge about early detection of manifestations allowing them to predict their occurrence, and educators in the creation and application of relevant curricula in practice.
The plenary sessions of the IHRA take place twice a year, and delegates are hosted by subsequent member states. The Polish term of presidency took place in 2005.
During this year’s Italian presidency, the spring session took place in Rome where a decision was taken to implement a new IHRA funding strategy for projects aimed at preserving historical evidence of the Holocaust and extermination of the Sinti and Roma, as well as to counteract the perversion of history. The debate during the meeting in Ferrara, primarily focused on modern political threats, including the growing wave of anti-Semitism and the role that IHRA has to play in counteracting this phenomenon.
Employees of the Auschwitz Museum have always been a part of the Polish delegation, which is appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They work with representatives of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the Ministry of Education, including experts from various museums and academic institutions: The Institute of National Remembrance, Jewish Historical Institute, Museum of the II World War, Warsaw Ghetto Museum, Pedagogical University of Cracow. The Museum employees are involved in the work of the committees and expert groups responsible for museums and memorials (Alicja Białecka presides over its sessions in this term of office) and education (Piotr Trojański presided over the sessions of the education group in 2014).
Images in the article: Marco Caselli Nirmal