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1999

Number: 
2

8-9 March 1999

Fourth meeting of the IHRA held at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. Eight national delegations were present at this IHRA meeting, including new member states: the Netherlands, Poland and France (observer status).

This two-day meeting included discussions about creating an endowment fund and a proposal for field missions (later to be commonly referred within IHRA circles as "liaison projects"). The first proposed field mission pilot outreach project was to be done in cooperation with the Czech Republic.

25 June 1999

Fifth meeting of the IHRA held in London attended by eight delegations (France was an observer). The meeting agenda included a detailed discussion proposed by the delegation of the Netherlands on liaison projects.

The first invitation to the Stockholm International Forum on the Holocaust, January 26-28, 2000 was circulated among meeting participants.

July 1999

An editorial group for IHRA information projects was established, chaired by Wesley Fisher of the USHMM. In effect, this was the first-ever Working Group established under the IHRA umbrella.

6-8 October 1999

"Phenomenon Holocaust," an international conference held in Prague and in Terezin, was attended by members of IHRA delegations and the IHRA Academic Advisor.

Former Czech President Václav Havel addressed the conference participants, and following these proceedings the Czech Republic became the first liaison project of the IHRA (lead country, the Netherlands).

13-14 October 1999

Sixth meeting of the IHRA organized by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Yad Vashem, and held in Jerusalem in conjunction with the Second International Conference on Holocaust Education at the International School for Holocaust Studies at Yad Vashem.

As agreed by consensus under the UK Chairman, this conference for educators was held under the auspices of the IHRA. Representatives from nine countries attended this two-day meeting, including a representative from the Italian Ministry of Education.

By this time, eight additional countries had expressed interest in liaison projects with IHRA member states, including: Argentina (lead country, USA); Lithuania (lead country, UK); Latvia (lead country, Sweden); Romania (lead countries, Israel, France) and Slovakia (lead country, Germany).

During this meeting, it was also decided that the Chairmanship would be extended to one year rather than rotating every few months. Due to the upcoming Stockholm Forum proceedings, it was decided that Sweden would chair the IHRA from December 1, 1999 - February 28, 2000. It was agreed that Germany would chair the IHRA from March 1, 2000.