Two hundred Hungarian young people travel to Auschwitz today to participate in the 26th remembrance programme organized by the March of the Living. Tens of thousands of young people from 53 countries are to participate in the programme. Beside historical remembrance, the programme helps people focus on the socially embedded nature of prejudices and hate. The traditional Hungarian March of the Living will be held on 21 April and tens of thousands of participants are expected to take part.

At the memorial ceremony held in front of the Hungarian barracks, State Secretary for Social Relations Mónika Balatoni, who is accompanying the delegation, stressed that people should never again have to suffer the indignity experienced in the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp because of their religion and origin. She reminded the Hungarian youngsters at the event that it was they who would "bear with them" what had happened in the past and it is they who may make the "tablets of remembrance" stand the test of time.

In addition to numerous student visits to Jewish memorial sites such as the Yad Vashem Institute, the Hungarian Government has placed great emphasis on meaningful Holocaust education, which is a significant part of the school system and enables students to understand the historical fact of the Holocaust and the path that lead to the tragedy. Additionally, Hungary is also a member of the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research and considers the Declaration of the Stockholm International Forum on the Holocaust obligatory. The teaching of the Holocaust is compulsory and its implementation is fully assured by legislation.

Chairman of The Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities Péter Feldmájer announced that the World Jewish Congress will be held in Budapest in May adding that this will be the first time for many years that the organisation will be holding its meeting in Budapest and not in Jerusalem.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will also be present and has already accepted the letter of invitation from President of the World Jewish Congress Ronald S. Lauder and Péter Feldmájer.

(Ministry of Public Administration and Justice)