International Holocaust Remembrance Day marked at the University of Latvia

International Holocaust Remembrance Day event was opened by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia Edgars Rinkevics. “We should not forget that more than sixty five years have passed since the end of World War II and new generations have emerged, who do not know what war is and what suffering means. We should work tirelessly to educate our children about the Holocaust,” he said. Chairman of the Board of the Centre for Judaic Studies of the University of Latvia prof. Ruvin Ferber also emphasized the importance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to organize such event. Before the screening of the documentary, historian Aigars Urtāns delivered a lecture “Holocaust Awareness in Latvia’s society” and the author of the documentary, Susanne Concha Emmerich, gave an insight into the movie making process. Documentary entitled “He Defied the Tide of Time. Chiune Sugihara and the Saving of the Six Thousand" was created in Sweden and tells the story of Chiune Sugihara, who saved the lives of thousands of Lithuania’s Jews during World War II by issuing them Japanese visas. Event was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Centre for Judaic Studies at the University of Latvia in cooperation with the Embassies of Lithuania, Israel and Japan in Latvia. Event was moderated by the Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rolands Lappuķe. The Foreign Ministry’s travelling exhibition “Latvia’s Jewish Community: History, Tragedy, Revival” will be opened at the University of Latvia till 6 February 2013.