In cooperation with the Jewish Community of Geneva and the Swiss friends of Yad Vashem, the World Jewish Congress organized a poignant Kristallnacht commemoration at Beth Yaacov, the city's central synagogue. Attended by over 300 guests, including ambassadors, diplomats, and members of the Jewish community, the event served as a moving tribute to the pivotal moment in the tragic history of 20th-century European Jewry.
The evening commenced with touching remarks of Ambassadors of Austria, Germany and Israel, and Deputy Ambassador of Croatia to the UN, country which is chairing the international Holocaust Remembrance Alliance in the 2023-2024 rotation.
Philanthropist Mr. Norbert Cymbalista, shared his eye-witness account to the events of November 9th and 10th detailing the story of his family and insights into the period between Hitler's rise to power in 1933 and the Nazi policies leading to the Reichspogromnacht. US Ambassador to the UN Human Rights Council Michele Taylor, who lost family members during Kristalnacht, spoke movingly about the impact these events had on her family and her personal story as a human rights defender. Ms. Dania Appel, a descendant of Holocaust survivors, detailed how collective trauma influences generations and spoke about her work on transgenerational therapy.
The event was held in partnership with the diplomatic missions of Austria, Croatia, Germany, Israel and the United States to the UN in Geneva.
