Diversity and inclusion of ethnic and religious minorities in the Republic of Moldova
Such was the name of a pilot youth forum initiated by the Embassy of Sweden in Moldova and the JCC KEDEM. The core is discussion on the topics of tolerance and problems which face representatives of minorities in their everyday life in our country.
In their greeting speeches Ms. Signe Burgstaller, Sweden Ambassador in Moldova, and Stella Harmelina, JCC Director, underlined the importance of raising these problems for a multiethnic state and especially by young generations. About 100 young people from Chisinau lyceums and Universities, JCC youth club and Tolerance club gathered in the Concert hall. Representatives of four minorities groups – Jewish, Moslem, Roma and Black (Salifa was born in Burkina Faso and lives in Moldova for 20 years) told about real cases of insults, stereotype attitude that included Anti-Semitic or Nazi graffiti on the Jewish school walls, offences in public transportation, limits to take part in political elections, etc.
During a vivid discussion it became clear that of course this is a long process that needs time and efforts especially in the sphere of education in families as well as in kindergartens, schools, Universities. But the main thing is the personal attitude and responsibility of every citizen, his or her reaction on the cases of breaking civil or human rights of other people. And here example of Raoul Wallenberg exhibition about whom is now at KEDEM is a very obvious and bright example of personal heroism and will.
1.5 hours passed very quickly. East Europe Foundation Director on Development, Monitoring and Evaluation Adrey Brigidin, moderator of the forum, invited the audience to continue similar discussions and get acquainted with the exhibition.
Organizers of the project – JCC and Swedish Embassy are planning to continue it in Beltsy next month. The program was covered by Moldova 1 TV Channel.
Day of the Holocaust Victims Remembrance – Past that did not Pass
International Day of the Holocaust Victims Remembrance was established by UN in 2005. In the end of 2015 Moldova officially confirmed the date of January 27 as National Day of the Holocaust Victims Remembrance. Jewish Cultural Center KEDEM is marking this tragic event annually presenting a program with official speeches and drama and music numbers.
In 2016 representatives of the Parliament and Government of Moldova, over 15 foreign embassies and diplomatic missions, leaders of ethnic communities, mass-media, elderly and young gathered in 250-places Concert hall of the Center to commemorate the tragedy, to thank soldiers who liberated Auschwitz in January of 1945, Righteous among the Nations, to bend heads and remember.
Members of Parliament and Government of Moldova, Head of UN Mission in Moldova, Head of EU delegation, Ambassadors of USA, Germany and Sweden, Director of the Joint in the Southern Ukraine and Moldova, and many others speakers said about the meaning and importance of such programs, actuality of the Holocaust lessons in our days and appealed to do everything possible to struggle with Anti-Semitism, hatred and intolerance in our society.
Cultural part of the program included very affecting musical numbers, a part from “Warsaw Alarm” play about story of Janusz Korczak and his kids killed in Treblinka. Kiddush was read by representatives of Chabbad Liubavitch community in Moldova and special video was shown about the horrors of the Shoah.
“Holocaust Accumulated All Genocides”
On February 11 JCC KEDEM hosted a meeting with Paul Shapiro, Director of the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies at the Holocaust Memorial in Washington. The impressive portfolio of our guest includes BA degree in Government from Harvard University; a Master of International Affairs degree and a Master of Philosophy degree in History from Columbia University. He has been a Fulbright scholar, an IREX scholar, and a Visiting Fellow at the Institute for Eurasian Studies at The George Washington University. He is the recipient of the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2010) and the Order of Merit-Commander Class of the Republic of Romania (2009).
Mr. Shapiro served in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the United States Information Agency and Department of State, where he was responsible for the Fulbright Fellowship Program and other major international exchange programs. Earlier, he was an Editor of the journal Problems of Communism and Editor in Chief of the Journal of International Affairs. Mr. Shapiro served as a consultant to the Board for International Broadcasting, Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty, and the Justice Department’s Office of Special Investigations (OSI). He performed the historical research that led to the denaturalization and deportation of the Romanian Archbishop of the United States, a former fascist leader in Romania, which was the first case, brought to successful conclusion by the OSI.
