| As we all know, Yom HaShoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day – will be very different this year. There will be no commemorative ceremonies anywhere in the world to bring people together physically in solemn reflection. But despite the effect that the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is having on our lives, it is important that we continue to remember, to mark this special day and to pay our respects to the victims of the Holocaust. Please join World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder in an online Yom HaShoah Commemorative Ceremony, on Monday, 20 April 2020 at 11:00 (New York), 17:00 (Brussels), 18:00 (Jerusalem).To view this commemoration live, please click here.This brief ceremony – expected to last approximately 20 minutes – will include, in addition to President Lauder, reflections by WJC Commissioner for Holocaust Memory Dr. Charlotte Knobloch and WJC Executive Committee Member Amb. Colette Avital, both survivors of the Shoah; an intervention by The Rt. Hon Lord Eric Pickles, UK Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust Issues, and will be moderated by Yariv Nornberg and Reuven Rennert, members of the WJC Jewish Diplomatic Corps. As the number of Holocaust survivors is sadly diminishing, the transmission of the memory of the Shoah is now one of our most important tasks. Reaching younger generations through digital means is now of paramount importance, and so we hope you invite generations of friends and family to also participate. In addition to this special WJC commemorative event, we have produced a selection of videos and films to help people across the globe observe Yom HaShoah online from the safety of their homes. The compilation is part of AboutHolocaust.org, a site WJC created in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to provide young people with much-needed facts about the Holocaust. In this time of isolation, it is especially imperative that we come together virtually and spiritually to share the stories of Holocaust survivors and to further invest in Holocaust education. We must do everything we can to ensure that “Never Again” really means never again. Thank you, as always, for your continued loyalty and dedication to our mission. WJC |
