Salzburg Global Seminar

On 3 December 2017, upon invitation of the Salzburg Global Seminar, the Head of the Austrian Delegation to the IHRA, Ambassador Michael Baier, participated in the Seminar’s Session 564 “Learning from the Past: Promoting Pluralism and Countering Extremism” where he introduced the IHRA and its outreach to non-IHRA countries.

This event was attended by one observer country to IHRA as well as by several non-IHRA countries. In his statement Ambassador Baier focused on two topics among IHRA’s present activities of global dimension and therefore with special relevance also to non-IHRA countries: IHRA’sCommittee on the Holocaust, Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity and the ongoing initiatives with regard to experiences of the Holocaust relative to the current refugee crisis.

The Committee has recently finalised its survey, "A Matter of Comparison: The Holocaust, Genocides and Crimes Against Humanity; An Analysis and Overview of Comparative Literature and Programs". The survey provides an overview of programs provided by 120 organisations worldwide in the fields of education, remembrance and research, which deal with the Holocaust in comparison to other mass atrocities and is also available as an interactive map. The Committee has also recently completed a working paper entitled "History Never Repeats itself, but Sometimes it Rhymes: comparing the Holocaust to different Atrocities". This working paper aims to explore what we mean by “compare” when we relate the Holocaust to other genocides and crimes against humanity.

From 16-17 February 2017 the IHRA will hold a joint conference together with thr Holy See examining refugee policies of the 1930s and the present day.

Image: Credit - Salzburg Global Seminar