Holocaust Memorial: "Saving One Life Is Worth a Thousand Sands"

Attending the ceremony were Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh (Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities), Mr. Nadav Eshcar (Ambassador of Israel to Vietnam), Mr. Vítězslav Grepl (Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Vietnam) and delegates from diplomatic agencies and international organizations.

Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh shared: This is the 4th time that the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, together with the Embassy of Israel, has organized the Holocaust Memorial Ceremony. This is a meaningful activity as it reminds humanity of one of the brutal massacres of 6 million Jews by Nazi Germany during World War II. The event also aims to send a message to future generations to join hands to prevent such wars and genocides from happening again in the future.

Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh spoke at the ceremony

Vietnam is one of the countries that has suffered heavily from war, so the Vietnamese people understand and sympathize with this pain, and also understand the great value of peace.

The University of Social Sciences and Humanities is a leading university in Vietnam, focusing on training the young generation in the values ​​of history and tradition. With the slogan “Cherish the past, hold the future”, the University hopes that students will understand the history of Vietnam and humanity, to draw profound lessons about life, to build a better future for the country and the world.

Overview of the memorial service

Israeli Ambassador to Vietnam, Mr. Nadav Eshcar shared: “The Holocaust is a dark period in human history - a time when Jews were tortured, exiled and massacred. However, even in that darkest moment, there were still glimmers of humanity and compassion - such as Sir Nicolas Winton - who was willing to face danger to save others and affirm his strong faith in the goodness of human beings.”

Mr. Nadav Eshcar speaking at the ceremony

Mr. Vítězslav Grepl, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Vietnam also said: “I always believe that a thorough and complete understanding of a systematic form of genocide such as the Holocaust can help us better understand other atrocities and human rights violations. Understanding the Holocaust can help us form awareness, warn about factors that cause violence against people and genocide. We can build strategies and policies to prevent such terrible things from happening again.”

Mr. Vítězslav Grepl spoke at the ceremony.

January 27 is the day designated by the United Nations General Assembly as the annual international day to commemorate the Jewish victims of the Nazi massacre, called Holocaust Remembrance Day.

At the memorial, delegates were shown the documentary film "Nicolas Winton - The Power of Good" which won the International Emmy Award for Best Documentary in 2002. The film tells the story of a man - who was one of the 669 people saved by Sir Nicolas Winton during the Holocaust and why he kept this story a secret for so many years.