Minister of Foreign Affairs Luminita Odobescu said on Tuesday that „Romania’s regional role in countering anti-Semitism and preserving the memory of the victims of the Holocaust is well recognized” through the efforts of the Romanian society and the Government.

She participated in the regional conference „Holocaust Distortion and Education: Current and Emerging Challenges. National Measures in Force”, an event organized by the Romanian Prime Minister’s Chancellery and the US Department of State, with the support of the Chairpersonship-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the UK Chairpersonship of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and in consultation with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.

„Romania has extensive experience in research, education and remembrance (of the Holocaust) (…) We are ready to share our experience, especially with our partners in Central and Eastern Europe. The Romanian Foreign Affairs Ministry has supported these efforts and will continue to do so. The recently adopted national strategy to combat anti-Semitism is an example of this,” said Luminita Odobescu.

In context, she emphasized the importance of education, which „means information, awareness and critical thinking, it means prevention.

At the same time, she mentioned the influence of Artificial Intelligence and the fact that ‘narratives’ are spreading very fast and urged caution in this regard.

„The events of October 7 [2023 – editor’s note] and what followed reminded us of the terrible consequences of distortion, Holocaust history denial and anti-Semitism. They have also reminded us that we need to do even more to prevent such disastrous events,” Odobescu said.

Deputy Silviu Vexler, president of the Federation of the Jewish Communities in Romania, recalled that 145 years have recently been marked since the first Jews received Romanian citizenship and evoked the changes that have taken place in almost a century and a half.

In reference to the theme of the conference, he mentioned a quote from the movie „Schindler’s List”: „It’s not about the old anti-Jewish discourse anymore”.

„This applies today. This is the first time since the Holocaust that Jewish communities around the world feel really threatened and we see how those threats have changed and how they operate. If in the past it was very organized initiatives, today we are dealing with radicalized individuals on the internet. And the sad truth is that there is very little that can be done technologically to stop it. We saw this recently in Vienna, in Italy and other countries,” Vexler said.

He drew attention to the propaganda carried out by Russia and Iran, especially online – after the terrorist attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023 – which comes „with anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism”.

„A lot of money is being invested in propaganda by Russia and Iran. It may sound strange, but it is very true. The propaganda that comes along with anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism or propaganda against the state of Israel seems to be very effective, it seems to take place mostly on the internet and I think one of the main problems is to find a way to counter this,” Vexler emphasized.

Last but not least, he emphasized that there have been no physical anti-Semitic incidents in Romania. „The fact that we are proud of something normal is disturbing,” Vexler said.

Dragos Hotea, state adviser and coordinator of the Interministerial Committee for Monitoring the Implementation of the 2024-2027 National Strategy for Preventing and Combating Anti-Semitism, Xenophobia, Radicalization and Hate Speec, presented the progress made by Romania in the field over the last 20 years.

Among other things, he mentioned that since 2002, Romania has had a specific legislation that penalizes Holocaust denial, in 2004 it established the National Holocaust Remembrance Day on October 9 and, in 2020, August 2, as the National Roma Holocaust Memorial Day – Samudaripen.

He also emphasized the importance of protecting historical truth for future generations.

„As we engage in discussions about history, truth and education, we are reminded of the crucial responsibility we have – not only to honor the memories of the victims, but also to protect the truth for future generations. For Romania, the setting up of the ‘Elie Wiesel’ National Institute for Holocaust Studies in Romania was crucial in this respect. More recently, we introduced Jewish History, Holocaust as a mandatory subject for high school students. We are also working on the opening of the new National Museum of the History of the Jews and the Holocaust and we continue to support the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania with funding for restoration projects,” Hotea said.

In context, he also mentioned the general objectives of Romania’s second National Strategy for Preventing and Combating Anti-Semitism, Xenophobia, Radicalization and Hate Speech, for the period 2024-2027, adopted in May this year: preventing and combating anti-Semitism, xenophobia, radicalization and hate speech; promoting inclusive education; supporting knowledge of Jewish culture; supporting efforts to combat anti-Semitism, xenophobia, radicalization and hate speech at the international level.

„However, while we celebrate our progress, we must also recognize that our work is far from over. Anti-Semitism persists in different forms and it is our duty to confront it head on. Every act of hatred and intolerance is a call to action. Let us pledge, inspire and commit ourselves to a future in which such atrocities are neither forgotten nor repeated, to continue our fight to combat anti-Semitism not just as a policy, but as a common moral obligation. The Romanian government remains committed to doing so,” Hotea further said.

AGERPRES