In Memory of Elie Wiesel

A message from the IHRA Chair on the passing of Elie Wiesel, Nobel Prize for Peace Laureate and Holocaust survivor.

"On behalf of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance I express my deepest sadness at the passing of the Nobel Prize for Peace laureate, Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor, and send my heartfelt condolences to his family.

Elie Wiesel will be remembered for the strong and vibrant messages which he sent to the next generations to make every possible effort to not forget the tragedy of the Holocaust and, above all, to act in solidarity so that such a tragedy will never be repeated again. He was a tireless and respected campaigner for freedom and human rights, a promoter of understanding and dialogue among people.

May his memory be blessed and always be remembered."

Elie Wiesel was born in 1928 in Romania and survived the atrocities of the Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. Following the dramatic years that influenced his youth, Elie Wiesel became one of the leading figures worldwide in the constant fight to keep the memory of the Holocaust and the consequences of these events for humanity alive. In 1986 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in recognition of his efforts in fighting against extremism and for promoting remembrance of the Holocaust. The International Nobel Committee named Elie Wiesel “the messenger of humanity”.

Elie Wiesel will always remain in the hearts and memory of Romanians as the personality who inspired the establishment of the Holocaust Remembrance national institutions and the creation of the national consensus for assuming the truth about Romania's involvement in the Holocaust tragedy.  In 2003, Elie Wiesel became Chair of the International Commission for the Study of the Holocaust in Romania that led to a report assumed by the Parliament and the entire society.

Elie Wiesel attended the first Stockholm Forum on the Holocaust in the year 2000 as then Honorary Chairman. At the ceremonial opening of the Forum, Wiesel addressed high-ranking political leaders and officials from more than forty-six countries, expressing his honour at opening the international Forum. Wiesel commended the enthusiastic responses of governments but made clear that the meeting in Stockholm was only the beginning: "Beginnings need to have their own future. In other words our beginning requires a worthy continuation. You have done so muich already. It is only natural for us to expect more."

Read Elie Wiesel's full speech here.

Image gallery: Stockholm International Forum, 2000

Click on one of the images to view the gallery (5 images).

The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance is the continuation of the work begun in Stockholm in 2000 and the organization continues to put political and social leaders support behind the need for Holocaust education, research and remembrance.

Photo:  "Elie Wiesel - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Davos 2008"  by World Economic Forum is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0