Together with Katharina von Schnurbein, the President discussed the implementation of EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life. The meeting also focused on Jewish life, the preservation of Jewish traditions and memory in Lithuania, Holocaust remembrance and the importance of assessing totalitarian regimes in Europe.
“Last week, we commemorated the Jewish citizens of Lithuania who were murdered during the Second World War. This day is like an open wound that never heals, from which, even after many years, the pain and grief still emanate. We will never change what happened, but we can and must ensure that our actions today are driven by a clear understanding of the tragic past,” Gitanas Nausėda said.
The President stressed that our strong position today of condemning Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine was of great importance.
“The war in Ukraine waged by the aggressor Russia and the atrocities committed against the Ukrainian people have shown that hatred and cruelty still exist, and we must do our utmost to protect the universal values of mankind and to educate a conscious younger generation,” President Gitanas Nausėda added.
The President underlined the need to enhance the European efforts to combat attempts to rewrite history. According to Gitanas Nausėda, European institutions and Member States should give particular attention to Europe’s historical memory, as well as to the assessment of the crimes of totalitarian regimes, the development of public education and training curricula, and the commemoration of the victims.
