Visit of the UNO

On Wednesday 19 February, the Maison d’Izieu welcomed a delegation of nearly 50 representatives from diplomatic missions in Geneva to participate in the seminar ‘History, Justice and Memory’. Yannick Scalzotto, sub-prefect of Belley, and Alexandre Nugues-Bourchat, director of the Maison d’Izieu, welcomed them.

During this third edition, organized with the support of DILCRAH (the Interministerial Delegation for the Fight against Racism, Anti-Semitism and Anti-LGBT Hatred), 28 countries were represented.

Isabelle Rome, France’s Ambassador for Human Rights, responsible for the duty of remembrance relating to the international dimension of the Holocaust and spoliation, opened this day of reflection and discussion.

As a reminder, she had already taken part, as Minister for Gender Equality, Diversity and Equal Opportunities, in the commemorative ceremony for the National Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Racist and Anti-Semitic Crimes by the French State on 16 July 2023.

Nikola Gillhoff, Ambassador and in charge of the Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations in Geneva, and Léon Saltiel, representative of the World Jewish Congress to the United Nations in Geneva and UNESCO, coordinator of the fight against anti-Semitism for the World Jewish Congress, then took the floor, highlighting the contemporary challenges of transmitting memory.

After an introduction by Alexandre Nugues-Bourchat, Master Alain Jakubowicz and Master Richard Zelmati, both young lawyers at the Klaus Barbie trial, shared their memories and analyses. In particular, they placed this historic event in the societal context of the time, illustrating the evolution of history, its teaching, and collective memory after the trial. They also retraced the major stages of the investigation of this emblematic trial, which led to Klaus Barbie’s conviction for crimes against humanity, highlighting the decisive role-played by Serge Klarsfeld, Sabine Zlatin, and the mothers of Izieu, Ita-Rosa Halaunbrenner and Fortunée Benguigui.

The diplomats then split into two groups to visit the museum and the house, accompanied in English by the museum-memorial’s mediation and education team.

During the second round table, Isabelle Rome, Léon Saltiel, Master Alain Jakubowicz, and Master Richard Zelmati discussed the unprecedented rise of anti-Semitism and the responses we can bring to it. Each speaker emphasized the importance of education, the need to use the right words, and the commitment to democracy.

This meeting reaffirms the commitment of diplomatic institutions to preserve memory and transmit the universal values of justice and tolerance.