Never Again? By Layla Anwar

The programme included special messages from the U.N Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon, the presence of: Sheikha Haya Rashed al Khalifa from Dubai, the Israeli Ambassador Dan Gillerman, Madame Simone Weil, a Holocaust survivor, Thomas Shindlemayr of the United Nations Department of Economics and Social Affairs, a college student Marie Noel who shared her experience visiting former concentration camps in Poland and many more guests… A special musical concert was given by HaZamir with jewish students from the Zamir choral foundation and another special cantor flown in specially from the New York Synagogue to recite the Kaddish. This special ceremony for a special rememberance of a special people will be followed by no less than three special visual exhibitions of art work and pictures. A book signing will also be taking place by Daniel Mendeahlon who will discuss and sign copies of his latest book: “The search of the six from the six millions”. And last but definitely not least, a series of special films will be screened: ”Volevo solo vivere /I only wanted to live”, a film about 6 Italian survivors of Aushwitz and another film by some eastern European called “Spell your name” followed by a professor from Yale University specialized in Genocide Studies who will also be giving a conference on the same theme. A very special day for a very special people… Ironically though, the theme this year is “Remembrance and Beyond”. The focus will be on the importance of infusing people with the lessons of the holocaust so that future generations will prevent hatred, bigotry, racism and prejudice with a special emphasis on youth. All of the above following the UN General Assembly resolution 60/7. A resolution echoing the first collective shout by the “civilized” nations following World War II, the shout ”Never Again!” It, in fact took millions of victims of different nationalities, different religious and ethnic backgrounds to fuel that first shout “Never again.” The United Nations itself, the International Court of Justice and the Geneva Conventions were created following that primal shout “Never again”. And since 1945, mausoleums, permanent exhibitions, vigils, conferences, philosophical debates on the “wickedness of the human mind” take place on quasi daily basis-all shouting “Never Again.” Never again, mass genocide and collective punishment. Never again, concentration camps. Never again collective rape. Never again Ghettos. Never again asphyxiation and experiments on humans. Never again collective torture. Never again deliberate starvation. Never again forced labor. Never again discrimination by name tags … Never again…. Never again…Let us sing it together now out loud, Never again! Meanwhile…. and in parallel… 1948 - The Establishment of Israel by the International Community, that same international community. And since that year, a silent mass genocide takes place in Palestine, silent to the deaf ears of the world. http://arabwomanblues.blogspot.com/2007/01/never-again.html

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