RIGA - President Vaira Vike-Freiberga recently met with Moshe Kantor, president of the World Holocaust Forum, to express support for the forum and its mission.
"Latvia is determined to remember the crimes against humanity committed by the totalitarian regimes on Latvian soil during the 20th century," said Vike-Freiberga.
Both the president and Kantor, who is also chairman of the European Jewish Congress' board of governors, stressed the importance of remembering and teaching the lessons of the Holocaust.
Vike-Freiberga said Latvia's determination not to forget the World War II atrocities would not be possible without support from the International Task Force on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research, the European Jewish Congress and other Jewish organizations.
"I would like to thank you for supporting our aspiration and express Latvia's strong interest in working together with the World Holocaust Forum Foundation in the future," she said.
The World Holocaust Forum Foundation was established this year following the First International Holocaust Forum held in Krakow in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp. The forum is dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust and its lessons for humanity by organizing seminars and discussions of the Holocaust, disseminating Holocaust-related literature to European schools and helping eradicate anti-Semitic and xenophobic tendencies.
During his visit to Latvia, Kantor met with leaders of the country's Jewish community, where conversations focused on problems of Latvia's Jews and plans for developing the community's cultural and historical legacy.
