IHRA Chair’s statement on recent antisemitic violence and hate speech supported by the Athen’s Plenary

Ambassador Lazaris stresses the importance of the IHRA Greek Presidency in an interview with Athens News Agency

Τhe head of the Greek Delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Ambassador Christodoulos Lazaris in an interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA) (“Greece to play a leading role”) stressed the importance of assuming the Presidency of the Alliance. Lazaris gave the interview in the framework of the Athens Democracy Forum. He underlined that Greece, taking over the Presidency of the IHRA, wanted to give a strong presence in the struggle of democratic societies and states, who, like itself, oppose the return of extremist ideologies and seek to drastically reduce their influence, especially among the younger generations. In addition, Lazaris pointed out that Greece has been extending a hand of friendship to the Israeli world, to Israel and to the Jewish Diaspora, with which so many things have connected Greeks, since ancient times.Referring to the aims of the Greek Presidency, he stated that “our purpose is to be, not just a part, but a protagonist in an effort which unites all the great democracies of the world” and outlined the initiatives and actions taken during first half of the term and those scheduled for the second term of the IHRA Greek Presidency 2021-2022.