NEWS Florence, Tuscany and Yad Vashem A protocol for remembrance

By Pagine Ebraiche staff*

A memorandum of understanding was signed by the World Holocaust Remembrance Center of Jerusalem, the University of Florence and Tuscany’s education authority at Yad Vashem last week. Among the goals is a better knowledge of the history of the Shoah in Italy and Europe aimed at “promoting a culture which is based on mutual respect”. “It shall help prevent and nullify every kind of discrimination, antisemitism, racism, prejudice and xenophobia. We shall work together to defend people’s and communities’ inviolable rights,” it stated. Moreover, the protocol represents an effort to value and spread a culture of “peace, solidarity, active and democratic participation, social justice and dialogue, respecting and protecting cultural diversities, developing conflict resolving skills.”

Professor Silvia Guetta represented the University of Florence, while Milva Segato represented the education authority and Iael Orvieto Nidan, Eyal Kaminka, Richelle Budd Caplan and David Cassuto represented Yad Vashem. Stefano Ventura, the new science attaché for the Italian embassy in Israel, attended the ceremony as well.

“We think – professor Guetta stated – that the University of Florence promotes initiatives in research, education, experimentation and innovation. And when combined with such high-qualified partners in the field of knowledge and education for Shoah, these initiatives might be a precious and creative form of co-operation with benefits for everybody. My gratitude is for everyone who has been working to the realisation of this important agreement.”

*Translated by Simone Simonazzi, student at the Advanced School for Interpreters and Translators of Trieste University, intern at the newspaper office of the Union of the Italian Jewish Communities.