The press service of the Russian Jewish Congress (RJC) reports that its president, Viatcheslav Kantor, met in Kiev with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko to discuss the state of preparations for the Second World Holocaust Forum.
The meeting was held in the Yushchenko’s official residence in Kiev.

Yushchenko praised the initiatives undertaken by Jewish organizations in Ukraine and around the world.

RIA News was informed by the RJC press service that, during the meeting, both men underscored the importance of holding international forums on the Holocaust. They also discussed the state of preparations for the Second World Holocaust Forum that will be held in Kiev in September 2006.

“The Holocaust is not just a Jewish tragedy; it is a tragedy that belongs to the whole world,” Yushchenko stated.

According to the press release, Kantor called the upcoming forum in Babi Yar, Kiev “…pulpit from which world leaders can come together to take a united stand against the growing dangers of xenophobia and racial intolerance, which raise their heads in an atmosphere of weak historical memory and conscious denial of the Holocaust.”

Kantor thanked the Ukrainian president for his “…careful attention to this problem and thorough study of the issues.”

“We, the citizens of Europe, including Russia and Ukraine, are acting not just in the name of Jews, but in the name of all of those who fought and continue to fight fascism in all its past and present incarnations,” Kantor emphasized.

RIA News
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