Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias’ welcoming address at the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Athens Plenary 2021 (31.05 – 10.06.2021)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Dendias, addressed a videotaped welcoming speech at the Plenary Session of the International Alliance for the Remembrance of the Holocaust (IHRA) under the Greek Presidency (Athens Plenary 2021), which is held online due to the pandemic, in Athens from May 31 to June 10, 2021.

The IHRA Plenary Session in Athens, attended by representatives and experts from 34 IHRA member and observer countries, focuses on efforts to combat anti-Semitism and racism, as well as the distortion of historical truth and Holocaust denial.

In his welcoming address, the Minister of Foreign Affairs pointed out, among other things, that the preservation of the memory of the Holocaust can be a shield of the 21st century democracy and our freedom. He underscored that handing down this knowledge to younger generations through education is essential to combat extremist ideas and the falsification of history, which are increasingly re-emerging on the Internet and the social media.

Read the full text of the Minister’s welcoming address here.