"UN Friday" - Remembering the Holocaust
Also in attendance was the Acting UN Resident Coordinator in Uzbekistan Mr. Jorge Ivan Espinal, who read Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s statement in recognition of 2012’s International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. The words of the Secretary General emphasised the need to remember the children who suffered during the Holocaust, including those who lost their lives and those who lived for many more years carrying haunting memories. Looking out among the young students of the Jewish School in Tashkent who had gathered at the event, these words took on new meaning. Also in attendance was Mrs. Ilona Perelman, Director of the Israeli Cultural Centre in Uzbekistan, and the German Ambassador Mr. Wolfgang Neva who lit the Candle of Remembrance; a silent action that spoke a thousand words. The combination of so many voices, of so many memories and perspectives, illustrated the true magnitude of the Holocaust’s repercussions and the importance of never forgetting the human catastrophe. However perhaps the most important moment was when no words were spoken; when all the gathered UN colleagues, reporters, students and esteemed guests stood head-bent and silent for a minute of quiet reflection.
-Expressions-
While part of the memorial UN Friday was dedicated to hearing the words of distinguished visitors, and the meditative contemplation of their meanings, the second half of the event contained presentations which reflected expressions of the Holocaust and its significance. The first such presentation was a performance by the singer Yana Bakhtieva, whose song emphasised the message of a film presented by the Israeli Cultural Centre and accentuated its powerful footage and images. Ms. Bakhtieva’s song set the scene for the following performance delivered by students of the Jewish School in Tashkent. Dressed in traditional costume, the gathered school children recited a poem whose words captured the swirling emotions that surround the memory of the Holocaust. Their poem’s conclusion, marked the laying of flowers, the lighting of candles and the placing of stones (a sign of bereavement and respect in Jewish tradition), brought tears to the eyes of many visitors. This presentation helped to emphasise that many victims of the Holocaust were children, no older than the guests from the Jewish School in Tashkent. It was a reminder of the innocence of those who lost their lives, and the promising futures that they may have otherwise enjoyed.
To bring the memorial UN Friday to a close, the United Nations Information Office showed a screening of the documentary ‘The Last Flight of Petr Ginz’. In many ways this short but passionate film served as a summary of all the emotions, perspectives and feelings expressed during the event. The documentary chronicled the short but astounding life of Petr Ginz, a Czechoslovak boy of Jewish and Christian heritage, whose family was prosecuted by the Nazi occupiers of Prague. While the film gave witness to the growing levels of prejudice that the Ginz family experienced, a prejudice that eventually lead to the death of Petr himself, it also provided a touching look into the mind and imagination of a boy who was brave, courageous, intelligent and mature beyond his years. The documentary followed his creation of a series of novels, in addition to his expressive paintings and drawings, and other outstanding achievements. The story of Petr Ginz’s courage and imagination, his enduring love for his sister and family, and the innocence and high-spirits that he maintained right until his untimely demise in the Auschwitz-Birkenau Death Camp, warmed the hearts of all gathered visitors.
-A Message of Remembrance-
The United Nations Information Office, the Israeli Embassy in Tashkent and Israeli Cultural Centre would to thank all those who attended the UN Friday event which recognised the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. May we never forget.