The President of the European Parliament,  Professor Hans-Gert Pöttering, welcoming a delegation of the International Auschwitz Committee: (From left) Christoph Heubner (Berlin); Marian Turski (Warsaw), Baron Paul Halter (Brussels), President Pöttering, Henri Goldberg (Brussels), Leszek Szuster (Oswiecim)

29 March 2007

EU President receives delegation of the IAC

On 28 March 2007 the President of the European Parliament, Professor Hans-Gert Pöttering received a delegation of the International Auschwitz Committee at the European Parliament in Brussels: Baron Paul Halter and Henri Goldberg representing the Belgian Auschwitz Foundation informed President Pöttering about the film and video project "Mémoire Demain" (Remembrance Tomorrow), worked out by the General Secretary of the French Union of Persons Displaced to Auschwitz, Rafael Esrail. The film and video project will document memories of Auschwitz survivors recorded on the spot at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial site. After completion the interviews will also be used for guided tours through the Memorial as well as for the preparation of visits. The International Auschwitz Committee has decided to use the French initiative on an international level.

Leszek Szuster, the Director of the International Youth Meeting Centre (IYMC) in Oswiecim/Auschwitz, informed about the 20^th anniversary of the Polish-German house, which is visited by 160 groups of young people from more than 30 countries every year. The President of the EU Parliament invited the IAC and the IYMC to present the exhibition "The other side of the world" marking the IYMC anniversary, at the European Parliament in January 2008 and expressed his readiness to act as a patron.

Marian Turski, Auschwitz survivor and journalist from Warsaw, informed President Pöttering about the state of planning for the Museum on the History of Jews in Poland. President Pöttering thanked the IAC representatives for their commitment and engaged work and asked Marian Turski for a guided tour through "Jewish Warsaw" on the occasion of his official courtesy visit to Warsaw planned early in June. Christoph Heubner, Executive Vice-President of the IAC thanked Professor Pöttering for the warm reception and in particular for his engaged commitment against right-wing extremism and anti-Semitism. "We are looking forward to our future cooperation with you", Baron Halter underlined at the end of the meeting.

Baron Halter, Auschwitz survivor and President of the Auschwitz Foundation, Brussels, signing the guest book of the President of the EU Parliament.

June 2007: Marian Turski, Auschwitz survivor and journalist from Warsaw, guiding President Hans-Gert Pöttering through "Jewish Warsaw".

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