Prince Charles scheduled to attend historic World Holocaust Forum in Jerusalem along with around 40 world leaders

Dr. Moshe Kantor, President of the World Holocaust Forum, responded Wednesday to the confirmation that His Royal Highness Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, will attend the Fifth World Holocaust Forum.

The Forum, entitled “Remembering the Holocaust, Fighting Antisemitism,” will take place at Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, on 23 January 2020, and mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

“It is a great honour for us that Prince Charles will be attending the Fifth World Holocaust Forum in Jerusalem in January,” Dr. Kantor said. “Prince Charles is a figure of strong moral authority and has long been recognized as a leading voice against intolerance, hate and antisemitism.”

“That Prince Charles has chosen to attend our unprecedented conference on Holocaust remembrance and against antisemitism on his first official visit to Israel speaks volumes.”

Prince Charles will join around 40 world leaders from Europe, North America and Australia who will gather at Yad Vashem for the World Holocaust Forum, which is organized by the World Holocaust Forum Foundation in cooperation with Yad Vashem, under the auspices of the President of the State of Israel.

The President of Russia Vladimir Putin, President of France Emmanuel Macron, President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of Italy Sergio Mattarella and President of Austria Mr. Alexander Van der Bellen are among the other leaders who have so far confirmed their attendance at this historic event.

Founded in 2005 by Dr. Kantor, who is also President of the European Jewish Congress, the World Holocaust Forum Foundation is an international organization dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust and its important lessons for all of humanity, including fighting rising antisemitism. Past World Holocaust Forum events have taken place at Auschwitz, Babi Yar and Terezin, with the highest-level political and diplomatic representation.

The event in January takes place against the background of the rise in hateful and violent expressions of antisemitism, especially in Europe. Given this alarming situation, efforts to educate about the dangers of antisemitism, racism and xenophobia and foster Holocaust commemoration and research have made this event more crucial and relevant than ever.

“We are building a global coalition of leaders who can send a strong message that will resonate around the world that Antisemitism, in all its forms, is absolutely unacceptable,” Dr. Kantor said. “It is essential that there be a holistic roadmap to combat hate against Jews which is at its highest levels since the Holocaust and is causing many Jewish communities to fear for their future.”