We all have a responsibility to fulfill the promise of “never again.” Never again shall we allow the horrors of the Holocaust to happen. Holocaust denial and distortion are cruel forms of antisemitism, and is disrespectful to the memory of the victims. Our most important weapon against it is education and to be clear about the causes and events of the Holocaust. Investing in holocaust research and education across the OSCE region is therefore our frontline against denial and distortion.
Furthermore, we must increase our resilience against denial, distortion and hatred, including antisemitism and holocaust distortion and denial in the online space. Social media and artificial intelligence increase the risk of disinformation, conspiracy theories and hatred. Norway has adopted a strategy to strengthen the resistance against disinformation and presented last year a white paper on children’s safe upbringing in a digital society. Within the OSCE we must cooperate on practical measures that work against the spread of hatred, denial and disinformation, both online and offline.
Thank you.