WJC President supports decision to postpone Malmo forum on antisemitism

The event had been scheduled to take place in October of this year, marking 75 years since the end of the second world war, but will now take place in 2021.

By DONNA RACHEL EDMUNDS
WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS President Ronald Lauder holds a #WeRemember sign (photo credit: SHACHAR AZRAN)
WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS President Ronald Lauder holds a #WeRemember sign
(photo credit: SHACHAR AZRAN)
The World Jewish Congress President, Ronald S. Lauder, has told Swedish Prime Minister, Stefan Löfven, that his institution supports a recent decision by the Swedish government to postpone the Malmö International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism until next year.
Löfven extended invitations in January to a number of heads of state and government, researchers, experts and civil society representatives from around 50 countries to participate in the Forum, which was to focus on taking forward work on Holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism.
The event had been scheduled to take place in October of this year, marking 75 years since the end of the second world war and the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, and 20 years since the adoption of the Declaration of the Stockholm International Forum on the Holocaust, which served as the founding document of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).
However, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, the decision was taken on Thursday to postpone the event until 2021. A new date has not yet been set.
In a statement, Löfven said: “The commitment of the Swedish Government to strengthening the work on Holocaust remembrance, to combating antisemitism and other forms of racism and to international cooperation in this field remains as strong as ever. In order for us to give full focus to these issues we see a need for postponing the Malmö Forum.”
His colleague, Minister for Education Anna Ekström emphasized the need for the event amid growing antisemitism, saying: "In the wake of this global crisis we are seeing signs of increased antisemitism and other forms of racism, the spread of conspiracy theories and misinformation. This is very unfortunate and shows that the work against antisemitism and other forms of racism must continue."
Speaking with the Prime Minister on Friday, Ambassador Lauder expressed appreciation for the reasons given on why the decision was taken to postpone, and thanked Löfven for his commitment to furthering Holocaust remembrance and eliminate antisemitism.
“Antisemitism in all its forms must be combated vigorously by determined action by both governments and civil society,” Lauder said. “The World Jewish Congress is proud of our friendship and cooperation with the Swedish government over the past several years that has resulted in the enhancement and strengthening of such international cooperation.”
The Swedish government has confirmed that it is actively engaged in planning the event, even after the postponement.
“We are looking forward to continued work together with the Swedish government on this important endeavor, the impact of which will be felt well beyond 2021,” Lauder said.


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