site.btaUPDATED International Youth Conference Dedicated to Rescue of Bulgarian Jews Takes Place in Burgas
Sofia Platform Executive Director Louisa Slavkova said Tuesday that the phrase “You cannot hate something you understand” sums up the first part of the debate at the International Youth Conference entitled "The Salvation of Bulgarian Jews - Possibilities for a behavioural role model for today's youth", held under the patronage of Vice President Iliana Iotova in Burgas.
In the second part, led by Romanian IHRA Delegation Deputy Head Felicia Waldman, Slavkova challenged the participants to discuss the conditions for receiving the honorary title "Righteous Among the Nations". A "Code of Ethics for Memory Keepers" was also adopted, which aims to define the values, principles and standards of ethical conduct to which the young people pledge to adhere.
“We have to learn to preserve memory and that is the great challenge we face,” American Jewish Committee in Jerusalem Director Avital Leibovich pointed out in Burgas. "Bulgarian Jews opposed the communist regime in Bulgaria. They have come to Israel as resilient established individuals," she added and explained how Bulgarian Jews have preserved Bulgarian culture - through their own choir, their own bank, a Bulgarian home for elderly people, and a strong focus on Bulgarian cuisine.
Design and poster artists will open an exhibition that recreates messages on the role of society and institutions in acts of salvation within the Burgas conference on Tuesday, said Foreign Ministry’s State Cultural Institute Director Snezhana Yoveva-Dimitrova. Works will be exhibited by young people and established artists such as the Institute for Historical Studies Director and the Samokov Historical Museum Director.
“We often say that young people do not read, are not interested in history. Today I can say - how wrong we are! This is what I see here. The young people I see here give me hope by the way they think and express themselves. I congratulate you. We will support with whatever we can such wonderful initiatives,“ said Assoc. Prof. Rumyana Christidi, Head of Jewish Studies Department at the History Faculty of Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski.
The Education Ministry is committed to the topic of the Holocaust and the fight against anti-Semitism,” stressed Education Ministry Expert Radostina Nikolova, who is also a member of the working group on Bulgaria's accession to the IHRA,
The International Youth Literary Competition " Whosoever saves a single life, saves an entire universe" is part of the national calendar of events for children and student interested in the topic, Nikolova added.
“This contest is a magic school of humanism,” said publicist Rumen Leonidov, who is a member of the jury evaluating the works of young authors participating in the competition, organized by the Center for Jewish-Bulgarian Cooperation Alef.
"I envy you that all your drive is directed towards unraveling this satanic manifestation of humanity against another part of humanity. I urge you - pay attention to what totalitarian states have done after the fascism’ demise," he continued in a brief address to the literary contest participants. “Stalin's actions after the war against Jews and other minorities is also part of what young people need to be aware of. Because just as fascism, communism with its extremes and anti-human manifestations is also condemned," Leonidov pointed out.
/RY/
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