by EH
At a special session of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Regional Council commemorating Holocaust Remembrance Day, Governor Massimiliano Fedriga called for a firm stance against the resurgence of antisemitism, warning against denialism and rhetoric that he said could undermine democratic values.
“The breaking down of the gates of Auschwitz, 80 years ago, revealed to the world the unspeakable horror of the Nazi extermination camps,” Fedriga said. “Today’s commemoration serves as an occasion to unequivocally condemn the rise of antisemitism, which we are witnessing in this historical period, often amplified by social media.”
Fedriga expressed concern over the proliferation of Holocaust denial and attempts to diminish the atrocities of the Nazi regime, describing such trends as threats to democracy. His remarks come amid broader discussions across Europe about how to combat hate speech and historical revisionism.
The governor also addressed ongoing tensions in the Middle East, cautioning against the use of geopolitical conflicts as justification for antisemitic rhetoric.
“It is unacceptable to exploit tensions in the Middle East to fuel any form of antisemitism, which too often is irresponsibly masked as anti-Zionism,” he said. He specifically referenced the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas, in which militants killed, tortured, and kidnapped civilians in Israel, stating that such acts were “as inhumane and as close to Nazism as anything can be.”
Fedriga called on public institutions to take a unified stance in condemning antisemitic violence and hate speech. “It is the absolute duty of institutions to condemn—unanimously and without hesitation—these barbarities, these persecutions against the Jewish people. This is a matter of democracy and freedom,” he said. “These are values we must uphold, especially in memory of those who lost their lives in the Nazi extermination camps.”
The regional observance of Holocaust Remembrance Day in Friuli Venezia Giulia is part of Italy’s broader national efforts to honor victims of the Holocaust and promote historical awareness.
