The first “Let My People Live!” World Forum was held in Krakow, Poland, in January 2005 to mark 60 years since the liberation of the German Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. The forum was widely supported by leading international organisations, including the Council of Europe and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, as well as top-tier politicians throughout the world.
The first forum was attended by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, President of Germany Horst Köhler, President of the State of Israel Moshe Katsav, President of the Republic of Poland Aleksander Kwasniewski and Vice President of the United States of America Richard Cheney. Representatives of 40 countries, including 24 official delegations, led by their heads of state and government, took part in the forum.
The second “Let My People Live!” World Forum to commemorate 65 years since the Babi Yar tragedy was held in Kiev, Ukraine, in September 2006. It was organised by the Government of Ukraine, the World Holocaust Forum Foundation and Yad Vashem – the Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Authority
More than 1,000 people from sixty countries took part in the forum. Among them were heads of state and government of 46 countries, members of international political, public and religious organisations, including the Council of Europe, European Union, United Nations, World Jewish Congress, European Jewish Congress, European Jewish Fund, American Jewish Congress, as well as prominent politicians, guests of honour, scientists, artists, witnesses to the tragedy, liberators of Kiev and representatives of youth organisations.
More than 500 accredited journalists provided media coverage on the forum and other events marking 65 years since the Babi Yar tragedy.
The forum’s participants adopted the World Holocaust Forum Declaration welcoming efforts to preserve the memory of victims of World War II, the Holocaust and its lessons for future generations and an initiative to organise the next forum in the series in 2008 to commemorate 70 years since die Kristallnacht.
The third “Let My People Live!” World Forum marking 65th anniversary of the liberation of KL Auschwitz-Birkenau was held in Krakow, Poland, on January 27, 2010. The third “Let My People Live!” Forum was held under the honorary patronage of President of Poland Lech Kaczyński, President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek and the first Permanent President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy.
The Third International Forum was attended by nearly 100 deputies from the European Parliament led by Jerzy Buzek, other representatives of European institutions and official delegations from all over the world. Auschwitz-Burkenau liberators Ivan Martynushkin and Yakov Vinnichenko were the Forum’s guests of honour.
U.S. President Barack Obama and President of France Nicolas Sarkozy sent recorded messages to the Forum’s participants, calling on the international community to remember the tragedies of the past and saying that their memory should determine today’s policies.
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