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Memorial for victims of National Socialism to be built in Bern

26.04.2023 — Press releases EDA
The Federal Council is committed to ensuring that the victims of National Socialist persecution and the Holocaust are not forgotten. At its meeting on 26 April, it approved CHF 2.5 million for a memorial for the victims of National Socialism. The memorial is to be erected in the city of Bern and will be accessible to all. The FDFA has been instructed to draw up a corresponding cooperation agreement with the city of Bern by the summer of 2023.


Federal Council adopts report on working definition of antisemitism

04.06.2021 — Press releases EDA
At its meeting on 4 June 2021, the Federal Council adopted the report on a postulate regarding possible areas of application of the working definition of antisemitism developed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). As part of the many measures to combat antisemitism in Switzerland, the definition provides additional guidance in identifying antisemitic incidents. The report also makes recommendations for developing further measures to combat antisemitism in Switzerland.


Strategy and Holocaust education adopted: final report from Swiss chairmanship of the IHRA

04.07.2018 — Press releases EDA
Switzerland's chairmanship of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) has made a significant contribution to the organisation's adoption of a strategy and priorities for its activities over the coming years. These results were highlighted in the FDFA's report on the Swiss chairmanship of the IHRA, which the Federal Council was informed of during its meeting on 4 July 2018. The report included specific activities demonstrating how Switzerland had helped promote the goals of the IHRA. The IHRA aims to promote research and education in relation to the Holocaust and to keep the memory of the victims alive through commemoration ceremonies and places of remembrance.



Disseminating knowledge of the Holocaust: Switzerland passes chairmanship of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance to Italy

06.03.2018 — Press releases EDA
Switzerland has chaired the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) for one year. Switzerland's chairmanship saw some major achievements at a strategic level, with the IHRA setting out its first comprehensive strategy and defining the priorities for its work in the years ahead. During its chairmanship Switzerland also supported various projects in the fields of education, youth and social media. The IHRA aims to promote research and education in relation to the Holocaust and to keep the memory of the victims alive through commemoration ceremonies and places of remembrance.


Meeting room at the Federal Palace West Wing dedicated to Carl Lutz

12.02.2018 — Press releases EDA
The west wing of the Federal Palace is where FDFA senior management meet – the nerve centre of Swiss foreign policy. A room here has been named 'Carl Lutz' in honour of the department's former diplomat who helped save the lives of tens of thousands of Jews in Budapest during the Second World War. A ceremony has been held to mark the occasion, introduced by FDFA head Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis.


Swiss IHRA chairmanship: education about the Holocaust is key to creating awareness about the consequences of racism

23.01.2018 — Press releases EDA
Learning and teaching about the Holocaust in schools was the theme of the international study days, held at Lausanne University of Teacher Education. The two-day conference, which the university organised as part of Switzerland’s chairmanship of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), focused on practical examples and reports of experience from the classroom. The IHRA works to promote research and education about the Holocaust and to keep alive the memory of the victims through commemorations and memorials.


Fighting Holocaust distortion: International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance sets priorities for its work

30.11.2017 — Press releases EDA
Preserving Holocaust memorial sites and combating the distortion and not only denial of the unprecedented genocide perpetrated by the Nazi regime: these are the priorities that the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) will pursue in the coming years. The delegates of the 31 member states made this decision at their plenary meeting in Bern, which was chaired by Switzerland. Thanks to the sharper focus on these aspects, the IHRA aims to implement its objectives more effectively, in particular through promoting research and education about the Holocaust and keeping alive the memory of victims through commemorations and memorials.



A web app and new book about Carl Lutz: Switzerland supports projects that use witnesses to teach young people about the Holocaust

27.11.2017 — Press releases EDA
At the plenary meeting of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) in Bern, the Swiss chairmanship of the IHRA presented a Holocaust web app and a new book about Carl Lutz, who together with other members of the Swiss legation in Budapest helped save tens of thousands of Jews between 1944 and 1945. By supporting these projects, Switzerland is underlining its commitment to the goals of the IHRA: to promote research and education on the Holocaust and to keep alive the memory of the victims.


International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance: Swiss chairmanship holds plenary meeting in Bern

24.11.2017 — Press releases EDA
As part of its chairmanship of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), Switzerland is holding a plenary meeting in Bern for the organisation's 31 member states from 27 to 30 November 2017. One of the goals of the meeting is to establish what steps need to be taken to implement the IHRA’s first strategy which was adopted at the plenary meeting in Geneva on 30 June 2017. The IHRA works to promote research and education about the Holocaust and to keep alive the memory of the victims through commemorations and memorials.


Swiss school students grapple with the memory of the Holocaust

14.07.2017 — Article EDA

In order to approach the difficult subject of the Holocaust, school teachers from Biel and Geneva asked their students to translate several notebook memoirs written by survivors. We met the students from Biel and Geneva and asked them what they took away from this experience.

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Last update 26.01.2022

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