Commentary by RDW
~ I received two more emails this morning from our Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Immigration, informing me that he has been given the honour of Leading the International Jewish Remembrance Alliance and of his five day trip to the Ukraine and Germany. This is good news! Canada now will be taking a leading role in Holocaust Education! Makes me proud to be Canadian, eh!~
Friends,
I recently completed a five day trip to Ukraine and Germany – part of an overseas trip to several countries to meet with my counterparts and other senior government officials. During this time, I also met with Jewish community leaders and visited sites of particular importance.
Canada continues to take a leading role in Holocaust education. In 2011, Canada hosted the Inter-Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism which led to the historic signing of the Ottawa Protocol. This week, Canada assumes the position of Chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), helping to lead the fight against anti-Semitism and share best-practices with other countries.
You may be interested in the following account of my trip. As always, I would appreciate your comments or feedback.
Sincerely,
Hon. Jason Kenney, PC, MP Calgary Southeast
Minister Kenney pays tribute to the victims of Babyn Yar where – over two days in 1941 – 34,000 Jews were massacred by the Nazi regime. Over 100,000 other Ukrainians were also murdered (March 3, 2013).
Minister Kenney visits the mass grave in Sambir where 2,000 Jews were murdered in the “Holocaust of Bullets,” and lights a candle in memory of the victims. The Minister called on local authorities to remove three large crosses that had been erected on the burial site (March 2, 2013).
Minister Kenney accepts Canada’s Chairmanship of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) at a ceremony in Berlin, Germany. Minister Kenney called on Ukraine to join the IHRA, presently comprised of 31 countries. From left to right: Dr. Jan Deboutte, outgoing Chair of IHRA from Belgium; Minister Kenney; and Dr. Mario Silva, Canada’s incoming IHRA Chair (March 5, 2013).
Minister Kenney participating in the restitution of artwork despoiled by the Nazis. A German museum is returning this priceless 15th century painting to the estate of Canadian Holocaust survivor Max Stern, where it rightfully belongs. For the past ten years, Montreal’s Concordia University has been helping recover over 400 paintings taken from Stern by the Nazis through a forced “sale” in 1937 (March 5, 2013).
Canada to Lead the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance
Watch MP John Carmichael’s statement in the House of Commons earlier today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ-VNorn0Lo
Minister Kenney accepts Canada’s Chairmanship of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) at a ceremony in Berlin, Germany. Minister Kenney called on Ukraine to join the IHRA, presently comprised of 31 countries. From left to right: Dr. Jan Deboutte, outgoing Chair of IHRA from Belgium; Minister Kenney; and Dr. Mario Silva, Canada’s incoming IHRA Chair (March 5, 2013).
Canada today assumed the chairmanship of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and committed to an ambitious campaign in the year ahead to raise Holocaust awareness and fight anti-Semitism.
Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney, along with this year’s Chair of the Alliance, Dr. Mario Silva, attended a ceremony in Berlin where Belgium handed over the chairmanship to Canada.
“Our government believes it is critically important to be engaged in efforts to teach future generations the lessons of the Holocaust and help prevent future acts of genocide,” said Minister Kenney. “The Holocaust stands alone in the annals of human evil and has important lessons to teach all of us—universal lessons that must not be forgotten.”
Canada became actively involved with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance in 2007, and became a full member in 2009. Canada will Chair the Alliance until March 2014.
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance is an intergovernmental body made up of government officials and experts from 31 countries. It is devoted to fostering and promoting Holocaust education, remembrance and research around the world. Each year, the Alliance nominates a member country to assume leadership of the organization.
“As Chair, Canada will work with all Alliance member countries to implement an ambitious, multi‑year work plan that includes research into Holocaust killing sites outside of major death camps, the development of educational resources for teachers, and strengthened relationships with international partners,” said Dr. Silva.
The handover ceremony was also marked by the restitution of a painting from the Stuttgart Gallery in Germany to the estate of the late Jewish-Canadian art dealer, Max Stern. With the Nazis’ ascension to power in the 1930s, the painting was part of a forced sale held by the Stern family. Today, the painting by the artist Master of Flémalle was returned to Concordia University in Montréal, which leads the Max Stern Art Restitution Project, one of the most recognized initiatives of its kind in the world.
Many events and initiatives in support of Holocaust education and remembrance will also take place across Canada this year, among them the undertaking of a national project to preserve survivor testimony, an Award for Excellence in Holocaust Education to recognize outstanding teachers, and an international poster competition for Canadian students in Graphics, Art and Design to support Holocaust Memorial Day activities. In addition, the development of a new Holocaust memorial in Canada’s National Capital Region is underway.
Canada is recognized as an international leader in the fight against anti-Semitism. In 2011, Canada was the first country to sign the Ottawa Protocol on Combating Anti‑Semitism, an international action plan to help nations measure their progress in the fight against anti-Semitism.
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Conference will be held in Toronto in October 2013.
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance was founded in 2000 under the name Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research (ITF).
More information about the painting from the Master of Flémalle and the Max Stern Restitution Project.
Minister Kenney participating in the restitution of artwork despoiled by the Nazis. A German museum is returning this priceless 15th century painting to the estate of Canadian Holocaust survivor Max Stern, where it rightfully belongs (March 5, 2013).
Filed under: Canadian Politics, Israel Tagged: Anti-semitism, Canadian Politics, Citizenship Immigration and multiculturalism Minister, Germany, Holocaust awareness, Hon. Jason Kenney, International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, Ukraine
