NOTIZIE ITALIANE Newsletter of the Embassy of Italy in Israel No. 28 March 2004 Day of Remembrance Minister of Foreign Holocaust Memorial Day solemnly marked all Affairs to visit Israel over Italy n January 27 an Deputy Prime Minister O impressive number of Gianfranco Fini said before a ceremonies and initiatives took parliamentary commemoration place throughout Italy in ceremony in Rome that commemoration of Holocaust "remembering the Shoah is a Memorial Day. moral duty but we must do At a press conference in more. We must try and Rome, Prime Minister Silvio understand. Prejudice and anti- Berlusconi said that "Memorial Semitism still exist, in Italy and At the invitation of Israeli Deputy Prime Day unites us all in the painful ‘Giornata della Europe," said Fini. He later met Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, memory of the sacrifice of with Nobel peace prize winner Silvan Shalom, Italy's Foreign Minister millions of our brothers." Memoria’ in Israel and Auschwitz survivor Elie Franco Frattini will visit Israel on March 16- 17 for a series of bilateral meetings with Warning of the dangers of anti- The Embassy of Italy Wiesel who attended the Semitism, Berlusconi commemorative ceremony at Israeli officials. The visit will provide an announced that the government organized several Rome’s city hall. additional boost to the political dialog is setting up an inter-ministerial events in Israel in All Italian newspapers and TV between the two countries and to committee to fight the channels provided several days numerous joint economic, scientific and phenomenon. "The committee commemoration of of extensive and wide-ranging cultural initiatives. <> (Frattini p. 2) will fight all forms of coverage on the Day of intolerance, racism and Holocaust Memorial Day remembrance that included not xenophobia and identify the (p. 2) only live reporting of official Widespread appreciation for right educational tools and events but also accounts from sanctions to combat behavior that is racist or Holocaust survivors, films, theatrical stems from religious hatred," he said. presentations and discussions. speech by Min. Buttiglione President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, ministers, Italy's Jewish community praised the Italy’s Minister for trade union leaders and Jewish community commemorative events, saying that they Community Policies, representatives took part in a two-hour revealed "growing public awareness about the Hon. Prof. Rocco ceremony at Rome’s new Auditorium Holocaust, particularly among the younger Buttiglione, attended concert venue, with guests delivering their generations." A conference on anti-Semitism the “Israel and Wider speeches from a stage draped with an enormous in Europe, organized by President Europe” conference on black-and-white photo of death camp victims of the Senate Marcello Pera provided the February 16-17, under which was written 'So As Not To Forget'. occasion for a visit to Italy by Minister for organized by the The ceremony featured a screening of some Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs Natan Interdisciplinary Center interviews with Shoah survivors along with Sharansky. <> (IDC) of Herzliya.<> rare film footage of the death camps. (Cont. p. 5) President Ciampi awards gold medal to Rome’s Italian-Israeli Scientific Cooperation Water Management Jewish Community The Italian-Israeli Water Management resident Carlo Azeglio Ciampi awarded a gold Workshop will take place at Ben Gurion P medal for civil merit, the highest award in Italy, University’s Sde Boqer campus on March in honor of the Roman Jewish Community on occasion 10-12. <> of the Day of Remembrance "as an example of ( p. 6) brotherhood and devotion to the Italian Homeland". Ciampi awarded the medal to Jewish Community President Leone Paserman at the end of the ceremony in Rome's Industrial Design auditorium attended by Senate President Marcello Pera, The Italian-Israeli Industrial Design Forum Education Minister Letizia Moratti, and Shoah will be held on 18 - 20 May at the Shenkar Foundation President Douglas Greenberg. <> College of Engineering and Design in Ramat- (Statement. p. 2) Gan. <> (p. 6) 1 NOTIZIE ITALIANE March 2004 Day of Remembrance ‘Giornata della Memoria’ in Israel Statement by ppreciation for the Holocaust Day the occasion by President Carlo Azeglio “ A initiatives promoted by the Italian Ciampi (see below), Franchetti Pardo President Ciampi Embassy were expressed by both Israeli emphasized the role of the “Righteous officials and members of the Italian Jewish Gentiles”, among whom figure many Italians Holocaust community. and others who remain anonymous. Memorial Day is an On the morning Pres. Cassuto expressed his “pride” over the invitation to reflect on the of January 27 a determination demonstrated by our Institutions Shoah, organized by the ceremony was in combating anti-Semitism: “Italy’s position Nazis to exterminate the held at Yad should be an example to other European Jewish people, an entire Vashem, where a countries,” he added. In the afternoon a series population, which was an wreath was laid of conferences was held at Italian Cultural event without parallel in at the Hall of Institutes on themes related to the Shoah. history. Let us recall that the enormity of the Remembrance In Tel Aviv the results were presented of events of those years, during which 6 million by the Charge` research conducted by Dr. Yael Orvieto Jews, almost the entire population living at d`Affaires Cons. (researcher at "YadVashem") and Dr. Dina that time in Europe, were systematically Luca Franchetti Pardo, the Italian Consul Vardi on the theme of Holocaust memories by slaughtered, make this crime almost General in Jerusalem, Nicola Manduzio, and second and third generation descendents of unbelievable: “think about it, because it the Defense Attache’ Col. Alessandro Veltri. victims. A large public that included some happened” is the warning left to us by Primo The ceremony was attended by a full Holocaust survivors and their families attended Levi. complement of Embassy staff with their the meeting, organized in collaboration with Let us remember so that the horror cannot families, and many members of Israel’s Italian the Association of Italian Jews, which was happen again, so that every demonstration of Jewish community, led by David Cassuto and characterized by the intense involvement of anti-Semitism, of racism in all its forms, is Claudia Amati. those present. condemned and banished. Let us remember The ceremony was also attended by the Director In Haifa a conference was held on the writer the guilty ones, Hitler’s racist ideology and of Yad Vashem, Prof. Avner Shalev, as well as Primo Levi, a survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto, those who collaborated with it and provided by the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s Advisor on which included a lecture by Marek Herman, the tools, also in Italy, that made the Anti-Semitism and Holocaust Remembrance, who recalled his personal relationship with the deportations possible. Let us also recall the Martin Peled-Flax, both of whom underlined writer. This was followed on January 28 by an righteous and those who acted according to the significance of the ceremony as a tangible international conference at Jerusalem’s Van conscience and the spirit of humanity. It gives expression of Italy’s engagement in the struggle Leer Institute dedicated to Levi, which was us comfort to remember that among the against anti-Semitism. attended by a large public that included Italian righteous were also many Italians, thousands This theme was echoed by Cons. Franchetti and foreign experts, among whom Prof. Carole of people, ordinary citizens, officials, diplomats Pardo who underlined the importance placed Angier, who has discovered previously and military personnel in every region of Italy by Italy on Holocaust Memorial Day and unpublished texts by Levi, and who has also as well as in Greece, Yugoslavia and the south educating young people on the lessons of the authored an important book on the writer from of France who, risking their lives, saved Shoah. Referring to the statement released on Turin.<> thousands of Italian and foreign Jews. Democracy, justice, the love for our fellow men, these are what we have been taught“ and Minister Frattini visits synagogue these should be our strengths, recalling the oreign Minister Franco Frattini has past and looking to a future of peace and F declared that the problem of anti- harmony between all peoples.<> Semitism needs dialogue, analysis and confrontation. Frattini met representatives of the Jewish Soccer ‘Match of Memory’ community in Rome on January 13 for an exchange of opinions regarding peace prospects D ozens of sports figures, artists, politicians in the Middle East and what is considered a and journalists participated in the worrying return of anti-Semitism in Europe in "Match of Memory", a charity soccer match general. The issue was discussed during organized to commemorate Holocaust Minister Franco Frattini with Chief Rabbi of Rome, Memorial Day and help pay for the planned Frattini's meeting with the chief rabbi in Rome, Riccardo di Segni, during their meeting Riccardo Di Segni, the leader of the Jewish Holocaust Museum in Rome, by Italian soccer community, Leone Paserman, and the the patronage of the Foreign Ministry. The authorities together with the Jewish Community spokesman for the community Riccardo choice of Rome as venue for the conference is of Rome. The game attracted widespread media Pacifici. Frattini was returning the visit made testimony to the commitment of the Italian attention,