Safeguarding the record and countering distortion is the IHRA’s priority theme for the next five years, and during the IHRA meetings four experts took part in an open discussion moderated by Klaus Mueller (Committee on the Holocaust, Genocide and Crimes against Humanity) to explore the spectrum of distortion from a variety of perspectives.
Protecting researchers and academic freedom was a focus for Dominique Trimbur (Academic Working Group) while Robert Williams (Museums and Memorials Working Group) stressed that “it’s important to remember that distortion allows for more violent and more dangerous forms of antisemitism to take place.” Alenka Janko Spreizer (Academic Working Group) raised the different challenges regarding distortion of the genocide of the Roma, and the importance of more specific remembrance and research to counter this. Nevena Bajalica (Memorials and Museums Working Group) pointed out the importance of not creating a hierarchy of victims when teaching and learning about the Holocaust.
The IHRA Chair noted the working definition of Holocaust Denial and Distortion that the IHRA had adopted in 2013 and explained that in order to provide context for the complex issue of distortion, experts from the IHRA’s Committee on Antisemitism and Holocaust Denial had drafted a paper on Holocaust distortion and denial. The Plenary took note of the paper which is a living document and which should guide the IHRA in its work.
From 2 to 5 June 2019, the 33 Member States of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) held their first plenary session under the Luxembourg chairmanship. It took place in Mondorf-les-Bains and was chaired by Ambassador Georges Santer. The Mondorf Plenary was a meeting where IHRA’s expert and political level came together to discuss and move forward with projects relating to Holocaust research, remembrance, and education.