At a press conference in Debrecen of the ministerial commissioner responsible for the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Chairmanship – which is held by Hungary for one year from March onwards – Hungarian IHRA Chair Szabolcs Takács announced that the IHRA will hold its general meetings in Budapest and Debrecen.
Speaking in the renovated Pásti Street orthodox synagogue, the Minister of State for EU Affairs at the Prime Minister’s Office pointed out that their aim during the Hungarian chairmanship is to increase the importance and presence of the IHRA, and to reduce anti-Semitism, xenophobia and hate speech.
Mr. Takács emphasised that the majority of Hungarian society condemns xenophobia and all forms of racism.
The Minister of State called one of the Holocaust the most painful episodes in Hungary’s history, and the tragedy of the nation. He said that the Government has reiterated numerous times that anti-Semitism must be combated in every way possible, and he reminded his audience of the principle of zero tolerance on this issue by declaring that “No one in Hungary must live in fear because they are members of a religious community.”
The phenomenon of anti-Semitism is, however, present in a number of European countries, he added; therefore, he would like to use the Hungarian chairmanship to arrange specialist conferences at which the problem of the spread of anti-Semitism can be discussed.
According to Mr. Takács, education could be a credible means of fighting all forms of xenophobia, which is why in Hungary steps will be taken to give the Holocaust greater emphasis in schools, and to make the educational principles of the IHRA more visible in teacher training, he said.
Coming to terms with the Romani genocide and the current situation of Roma communities in IHRA member countries will also be on the agenda of the Hungarian chairmanship. The involvement of Ukraine in the alliance of 31 member countries, eight observer countries and seven international organisations is already on the agenda.
Deputy State Secretary for Priority Social Affairs Csaba Latorcai said that it is not enough to attack anti-Semitism, but that all possible means must be used to fight “against such repellent actions.” This was in reference to the damage caused over the Easter period to a photo exhibit in Budapest on Holocaust survivors.
At the same time, he declared that Hungary is not an anti-Semitic country: “we are proud of our diverse culture,” an integral part of which is Jewish culture, he said.
Mr. Latorcai reminded his audience that the Hungarian government has supported the renovation of the Kápolnási and Pásti Street synagogues in Debrecen from EU funds. A further 15 synagogues across the country – including the ones in Hajdúböszörmény and Berettyóújfalu – are expected to be refurbished, as well as 1500 Jewish cemeteries within the cemetery reconstruction programme, he added.
The Deputy State Secretary said that Hungary has been put on the map of Jewish religious tourism, and thousands of Jewish pilgrims are expected from the United States of America and Israel; this may bring about spiritual renewal in Hungary.
Mayor of Debrecen László Papp called the city the spiritual centre of Hungary, where different congregations and religious communities live in peace and cooperation.
He said that in Debrecen in 2009 the Hungarian Reformed Church in Hungary and the Reformed Church in the neighbouring countries were reunited; Debrecen is the centre of the Roman Catholic diocese, and following a decision by Pope Francis the city has become a Greek Catholic episcopal see; the city also has the largest Jewish congregation in Hungary.
Regarding the Holocaust, the mayor noted that there are still people who relativise or make fun of it. All such actions must be condemned, he said.
The IHRA will hold its general meetings in Budapest from 8–15 June, and in Debrecen from 2–5 November.
The head of the Debrecen Jewish Congregation announced that Central and Eastern European educational centres will be established, the centre for which will be the Pásti Street Synagogue. A Holocaust remembrance park will be established in the courtyard of the synagogue, which will be used for educational purposes.