Council of Europe commemorates the victims of the Holocaust
Today, the Council of Europe commemorated the victims of the Holocaust at the Council of Europe headquarters in Strasbourg. During the ceremony Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland stressed the importance of remembering the liberation of Ausschwitz concentration camp on 27 January 1945 as a historic day for the whole continent. Together with the President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinistö and the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Liliane Maury Pasquier, the Secretary General laid a wreath at the Council of Europe's comemmoration stone in Strasbourg.
Miranda Vuolosranta, President of the European Roma and Travellers Forum, warned of a rising Antisemitism and anti-Gypsyism all over Europe in her speech and called on international organisations to strengthen their efforts of fighting hate speech and discriminatory acts of any kind.
Jointly together with H.E. Eli Lev, Ambassador of Israel to the international institutions in France and David Cupina, President of Les « Oublié.s.e.s » de la Mémoire Association Civile Homosexuelle du Devoir de Mémoire, Miranda Vuolasranta laid a wreath in remembrance of all victims of the Nazi persecution.
The Ceremony was attended by members of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly and representatives of the City of Strasbourg, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and the Alliance Task Force.