TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day with an event honoring the victims on Wednesday afternoon (April 17.
Speaking at the Taipei Guest House, Israeli Representative to Taiwan Maya Yaron said the gathering “sends a strong message about the importance of Holocaust remembrance to all peace-loving nations around the world.” Yaron said the “global and universal” lessons of the Holocaust are relevant to Taiwan as well as the rest of the world.
She expressed concern over examples of communities turning against each other. “These are becoming too common and too widespread,” she said, adding this was unacceptable.
The representative said the special day was a reminder to continue promoting respect and knowledge.
She said: “It is in our hands to build bridges and not deepen divisions. Hope is crucial in this path. When we believe a better future is possible, we keep on trying to make a difference around us.”
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said the world must “never forget this period in history when human dignity was cast aside for political ideology.” The fight against discrimination and bigotry should never end, she said.
Tsai pointed out that there were still many people in the world who “suffer at the hands of authoritarian regimes and dictatorships” because of ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, religious, or political differences. “There is still much work needed to be done,” she said.
There were many lessons Taiwan could learn from Israel and Germany, the president said. “Israel, in its effort to preserve the historical account of the Holocaust, especially its victims, and Germany in its courage to face the past.”
Taiwan has worked to “address the injustices of the past and uncover the truth of atrocities in the authoritarian era,” Tsai said. The country has established a “solid foundation” to achieve transitional justice and has prioritized it at the highest level, she said.
The world must continue to confront anti-semitism and safeguard democracy, Tsai said.
German Representative to Taiwan Jorg Polster described the Holocaust as “one of the darkest chapters of human kind.” Polster said the purpose of remembering this historic atrocity was to make sure no one forgets what happened and to ensure the understanding of the events does not deviate from the facts.
“We have to keep the memory alive to what happened then in order to make sure that we make the right choice today and in future,” Polster said.
Slovakian Holocaust survivor Peter Gaspar also shared his experience during World War Ii.
Yaron, Tsai, Polster, Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), and Israeli Parliamentarian Boaz Toporovsky also participated in a candle lighting ceremony to remember the 6 million Jews who died during the Holocaust.
Boaz is leading a parliamentary delegation in Taiwan to meet with government officials and to promote closer ties.
