Remembering the Holocaust: preventing the repetition of one the most sinister chapters in human history
The Global Embassy of Activists for Peace (GEAP) in Puebla, Mexico, held the University Forum “Educating to Remember”, to celebrate the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust.
The event was held in the Benemérito Instituto Normal del Estado (BINE), with the objective of strengthening, through education, the reflection and practice of actions of respect for universal rights and human dignity.
Around 300 people, among them, students, professors, and special guests attended the event at the Gral. Rafael Moreno Valle Auditorium to learn about one of them most nefarious episodes in the history of mankind, to witness the testimony of Holocaust survivor, Simone Gelman.
Distinguished personalities attended the event; among them, the general director of BINE, Jesus George, historian, Jaime Murow; from the Human Rights Commission of the State of Puebla, the second general visitor, Liliana Gonzalez, and representatives of the GEAP.
Learn history
The welcome words were given by Jesus George, who thanked the GEAP for enriching the knowledge of the general community with a different panorama of history.
“The director general of BINE expressed: “Learn history through the experiences of those who were there, that enriches the power to face our present and our future.”
Francisco Guerra, national coordinator of the GEAP, in his lecture cited the approval of Resolution 60/7 of the United Nations, which calls upon all States to elaborate educational programs that instill in future generations the teachings of the Holocaust with the aim of helping prevent genocide acts in the future.
On his part, Jaime Murow, invited youths and future teachers to reflect; he said that there is a similarity between current events and the Holocaust, such as an assassination based on race.
Lessons of the past
Simone Gelman, a Holocaust survivor, gave his testimony of what he went through with his mother and brother to stay alive during World War II, he was referring to all the suffering of the children in the Shoah.
“Just like many other children who lived through the war like I did; I grew up with many affective traumas, and I cannot forgive the crimes made by these inhuman beings. These are unforgivable acts, they were crimes committed against humanity, against millions of people that were unjustly killed in this war”, said Gelman.
Gonzalez Mora reflected on fanaticism, racism, and prejudices that caused the Holocaust; he mentioned: “To ignore these horrible events increases the risk of them being repeated”. He concluded by inviting the participants to become promoters of human rights.
Traces to remember
With the purpose of maintaining the testimony of Holocaust survivor, Simone Gelman, alive, a plaque in the shape of the Star of David was unveiled, which contains the hand prints of Gelman and of his son Philippe Leff. The plaque was accompanied by a brief inscription of what happened.
This event was carried out by the GEAP through the project “Traces to Remember” with the purpose of encouraging the respect for life, liberty, and human dignity. It also adopts the historic truth of what happened in the Holocaust against the Jewish people and other victims of minority groups during World War II.
As a way to prevent the repetition of one of the most sinister chapters in the history of mankind, on January 24, 25 and 26, the photographic exhibition of the Holocaust and other genocides were presented at the Gral. Rafael Moreno Valle Auditorium.
