A large audience attended today an event organized by the Embassy of Italy in Ottawa at the Canadian Museum of History to honor Holocaust Remembrance Day, on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
The Embassy’s partner was the Centre for Holocaust Education and Scholarship (CHES) of Ottawa, a prestigious institution engaged in educational initiatives aimed at combating antisemitism and promoting human rights.
The ceremony was attended by numerous guests, including representatives of Canadian institutions, Holocaust survivors and their families, as well as Ambassadors from European Union countries, the G7, and Israel.
During the event, two excerpts from the documentary “Liliana” about Senator for Life Liliana Segre, which was recently presented at the Rome Film Festival, were screened. The initiative is a preview of the official screening of the documentary organized by the Embassy, which will take place on February 2nd and 3rd in Ottawa and Montreal, in the presence of director Ruggero Gabbai.
Afterwards, speeches were given by CHES Chair Mina Cohn, two second-generation Holocaust survivors of Italian origin, Italo and Julia Camerino, Professor Costanza Musu, and Canadian MP Marco Mendicino, who shared personal experiences and reflections on the importance of memory.
In his opening speech, Ambassador Alessandro Cattaneo emphasized the significance of this commemoration to remember and honor the victims of the Holocaust, reaffirming the need to oppose all forms of injustice, hatred, and discrimination—a commitment that is particularly urgent today in light of the resurgence of antisemitism in various parts of the world. Ambassador Cattaneo also recalled how Italy was one of the first countries to enact, in 2000, the law establishing Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Ambassador Cattaneo also participated in the Canadian national ceremony held on the morning of January 27 at the National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa.
