LITHUANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER INFORMED THE REPRESENTATIVES OF JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS IN THE US ABOUT THE PROJECTS HELD IN LITHUANIA TO MEMORIZE VICTIMS OF THE HOLOCAUST
On 20 March in New York, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis informed the representatives of Jewish organizations in the US on projects held in Lithuania in 2011, in order to memorize victims of the Holocaust, preserve the memory of the Jewish cultural heritage and deal with compensation for the real estate of Jewish religious communities. The meeting was held with representatives of the American Jewish Committee and American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. The Minister recalled that in the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Holocaust in Lithuania, Seimas has designated 2011 as the Year of Remembrance for the Victims of the Holocaust. As the Government of Lithuania adopted a broad programme, public authorities and non-governmental organizations participated in the commemoration events, held projects in education and remembrance both in Lithuania and abroad. The Minister also pointed out that the Year of Holocaust is part of the Holocaust remembrance policy.
Tolerance education is an ongoing and overall process and, therefore, information and education events about the history of Lithuanian Jews are of particular importance for historical memory and the cultural heritage of Litvaks. We can only welcome the fact that the fragments of the historical Jewish quarter are memorized in Vilnius, also events and concerts are held, books on Jewish culture are written", Minister A.Ažubalis said.During the meeting attention was paid to the bill on Good-will Compensation for the Real Estate of Jewish Religious Communities recently adopted by the Parliament. The representatives of Jewish organizations thanked Minister for the Lithuanian State's good will in dealing with the question of compensation for the Jewish religious communities.
Participants highly valued Lithuania‘s successful chairmanship of the Organization for security and cooperation in Europe in 2011.
Minister and the representatives of Jewish organizations also discussed other relevant issues concerning the cooperation in the fields of culture and education.
A.Ažubalis condemned the barbaric incident near a Jewish school in the city of Toulouse, in France, during which three children and a teacher were killed.
