Alexander Philon
Ambassador and Head of the Greek delegation to the ITF

The Greek delegation: The national delegation consists of a range of officials of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Education and of an NGO: Ambassador Alexander Philon, Head of the Greek delegation Photini Tomai-Constantopoulou, Minister A', Director of the Service of Diplomatic Archives Dr. Anastassia Kyrkini - Koutoula, Counsellor of the Pedagogical Institute Dr. Zanet Battinou, Director of the Jewish Museum of Greece Dr. Vassilios Ritzaleos, Historian in the State Archives

In January 2009 and for the entire year, Greece, as President of the OSCE is expected to undertake initiatives and measures in combating racism and Antisemitism. The Greeks have always resisted the debasement represented by racism. All the Constitutions of Greece, from the very first Provisional Constitution of Epidaurus in 1822, enshrined the principle of freedom in the choice of religion and the performance of religious duties. In this respect, and due to the strong bonds that connect the two peoples, Greek and Jewish, since antiquity and later when the government of Eleftherios Venizelos first came out to call for the setting up of a Jewish state in 1917, four months before the Balfour Declaration, Greece played an important role in this particularly turbulent international environment.

Education

In this very important field, Greece both trains educators and teaches young pupils. In this regard, the following activities have been held:

• A 3-day seminar organised by the Ministry of National Education in Thrace for educators of primary and secondary schools on the subject of: "Holocaust, Racism, Xenophobia" (May 2007).
• Greek teachers attended a special seminar for Greek educators at the International School of Holocaust Studies at Yad Vashem in July 2006 and July 2008.
• Greek representatives attended the ICHEIC program for Holocaust Education in Europe at Yad Vashem (February 2007), the Workshop of the Council of Europe "The Remembrance of the Holocaust and of the Roma Samudaripen" (Budapest, July 2008), the 6th International Conference on the "Holocaust and Education, Teaching the Shoah, Fighting Racism and Prejudice" at Yad Vashem (July 2008).
• Greek teachers have participated in training seminars organised by the Jewish Museum of Greece and the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs with the assistance of the ITF and international specialists. The seminars have created a network of teachers who follow developments in the methods of teaching the Holocaust at all different levels from the 6th grade of primary school (at the age of 12) up to the 3rd grade of Senior High School (at the age of 18). The subject of the Holocaust is included in the curriculum for the examinations at the end of the school year. Furthermore, pupils from several schools undertake special projects on the Holocaust and, in particular, on the teaching of local history with reference to Jewish life and religion, the contribution of Jews to the social and political life of Greece, and of course the Holocaust. Classic works, like the "Diary of Anne Frank", or works of Greek authors such as Yiorgos Ioannou referring to the prosecution of the Jews of Thessaloniki by Nazis, together with schoolbooks and other educational material that have been revised by the Pedagogical Institute, are included as teaching materials. During students' workshops projects are based on original material. Furthermore, theatre performances, photo exhibitions and visits to synagogues are part of these activities. The Pedagogical Institute has been revising schoolbooks according to the guidelines established by the ITF and recent research using up-to-date teaching methods.

Remembrance

By Law 3218 of the Greek Parliament, adopted unanimously and published in the Government Gazette No 10, issue 27/1/2004, the 27th January is established as a Remembrance Day for the Holocaust Victims and Heroes. Remembrance ceremonies take place in Athens, organised by the Central Board of Jewish Communities of Greece and the Prefecture of Athens, Thessaloniki organised by the Jewish Community and the Prefecture of Thessaloniki and in other cities.

These events are attended by religious, political, academic and other personalities, as well as diplomatic representatives. Foreign guests and survivors have also participated in the ceremonies. There is also important participation by the public. In conjunction with the ceremony, the Jewish Museum of Greece presents every year a relevant exhibition at the venues while at the same time it offers a fortnight of educational programs and activities for school groups.
Greek television and other media have devoted lengthy programmes and articles to the Holocaust.
This year, and until March 2009, the Jewish Museum of Greece organises the exhibition "Jewish Neighborhoods". Moreover, since 2005 the Mayor of P. Psychicon has celebrated the Chanukah.
In respect to the memory of the victims of the Holocaust, Greece has signed an agreement with Polish authorities to create a memorial to honor Greek victims at the Auschwitz concentration camp in barrack No 18. The construction of the memorial is still in progress.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also published this year a photo album book, edited by Ph. Tomai - Constantopoulou "Greeks in Auschwitz-Birkenau". The members of the Greek committee for the Auschwitz memorial are as follows:

• Ph. Tomai - Constantopoulou, Head of the committee
• M. Konstantinis, President of the Central Jewish Board
• M. Matsas, President of the Jewish Museum of Greece
• H. Kounio, survivor of the Holocaust and member of the Jewish Community of Thessaloniki
• G. Koutsodimitris Director of the Technical Services of the MFA the Greek Ambassador to Warsaw
• M. Glezos, representative of the National Resistance Movement
• film director P. Voulgaris.

Research

Greece has played a significant role in the release of the Bad Arolsen Archives. As a member of the Bonn Agreement (1955) the Greek delegation participates in all conferences held by the presiding country presenting new initiatives in creating a solid legislative framework to help access to the Bad Arolsen files.
Greece is also interested in repatriating the Archives of the Greek Jewish Communities looted by the Nazi occupation forces that are held since the end of World War Two in Moscow. In this regard, it is negotiating with the Russian Authorities. The recent eagerness of the international community to support the initiative taken by the Czech government to revitalise the interest for the restitution of the cultural assets to the countries they belong to creates optimism for the Greek request. Here are the recent research activities of the academic community and scholars in Greece:

• Presentation of papers on the Holocaust by three well-known European scholars of Holocaust issues, at the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki.
• A four-day conference organised by the Network For The Study Of Civil Wars in collaboration with Yale University entitled "Holocaust as Local History" (University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, June 2008).
• Presentation of five documentary films on Greek Jews organised by the Group for the Study of the Jews of Greece (Byzantine Museum of Thessaloniki, February 2007).
• Presentation at the European Parliament of a publication with Christian, Muslim and Jewish monuments of Xanthi, published by the Diocese of Xanthi in 2005 (June 2008).
• 4th international conference on the Ladino language (Thessaloniki, October 2008).
• Participation in the international conference "Beyond Caps And Forced Labour: Current International Research On Survivors Of Nazi Persecution" (London 2006).
• Conference in Kastoria entitled "The Jews of Kastoria" (Technical University of West Macedonia, October 2008).
• Presentation of new research on the Jews of Greece in the framework of the Master's program in History at the University of Thessalia (Volos, April 2008).
• Meeting of Israeli and Greek historians (University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, February 2008).

In January 2009 and for the entire year, Greece, as President of the OSCE is expected to undertake initiatives and measures in combating racism and Antisemitism. The Greeks have always resisted the debasement represented by racism. All the Constitutions of Greece, from the very first Provisional Constitution of Epidaurus in 1822, enshrined the principle of freedom in the choice of religion and the performance of religious duties. In this respect, and due to the strong bonds that connect the two peoples, Greek and Jewish, since antiquity and later when the government of Eleftherios Venizelos first came out to call for the setting up of a Jewish state in 1917, four months before the Balfour Declaration, Greece played an important role in this particularly turbulent international environment.