1,200 students at the University Forum “Educating to Remember”

In Monterrey, México

1,200 students at the University Forum “Educating to Remember”

The main auditorium “Gumersindo Cantú Hinojosa” of the School of Public Accounting and Management of the Autonomous University of Nuevo León, Monterrey, was filled with 1,200 students who attended the University Forum: “The Holocaust: Educating to Remember”, held on January 29, 2015, and organized by the Global Embassy of Activists for Peace in order to remember and honor the victims of the Holocaust of World War II. The Director, María Eugenia García de la Peña attended the event and distinguished personalities from the student realm, professors, students and general public joined her.

The coordinator in Mexico of the GEAP, Francisco Guerra, started the activity presenting the institutional video of the Global Embassy of Activists for Peace, noting that:

“It is important to have a profession, but it is not enough to educate ourselves. It is even more important that we perform the profession with principles and values.”

After the successful workshop done in the high school of the university, conducted by the GEAP earlier, the historian with degree of Morei Morim M.C. Jaime Murow, participated, and thanked the Global Embassy of Activists for Peace for carrying these forums, and gave the idea that everyone should work with the sole purpose of transmitting the memory of the holocaust, so that events such as this one do not happen again: “…It is very easy to hear, is very easy to receive, but it is very difficult to act”. He expressed his desire for students to change from passive to active people, and mentioned the importance of these educational events in order to prevent this heinous act.

Mr. Murow expressed his concern for the current situation happening in the Middle Eastern countries like Syria and Iraq: “There is an internal war, a civil war, and more than 170,000 have been killed, mostly children, women and civilian men, and, what has the world done? Nothing. What happened 70 years ago with the holocaust, is the same thing that is happening in the world; the world has not learned.” He appealed unto everyone to change their mindset and to take action. He recalled that the United Nations almost obliges countries to teach about the Holocaust so it does not happen again.

The act of lighting candles for remembrance of the Holocaust victims was done by the teacher with degree of Morei Morim Monica Szwarcer, from the Centro Israelita de Monterrey A.C., with the participation of all those present at the event.

Later, the Holocaust survivor, Mr. Luis Opatowski asked for a silence minute in memory of all the victims who perished during the Holocaust. Then he told again his testimony full of painful memories, but at the same time, expressing his hope and gratitude to the country that welcomed him with open arms to rebuild his life: Mexico.

Also, Mr. Salih Hardaga participated, son of one of those defined as “Righteous among the Nations” with an emotional speech urging youth to be careful with our actions, because we will talk about them forever and they will influence the generations. 

The Montemayor musicians performed a recital of Hebrew songs in honor to the Jewish people, and ended the event with the release of white balloons by students and people present in the forum, in memory of the Holocaust victims and as a symbol of peace among nations.