Dear Secretary General of the IHRA, Michaela Küchler,
Dear delegates,
I would like to express my gratitude and congratulations to everyone who took part in this first Plenary of the Argentine presidency.
These have been days of intensive work where, from what I have witnessed, every delegation successfully focused their energy on the agenda items, all within an excellent general working environment.
We began with the preliminary conference organized by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, Ariel Gelblung, whom I would like to congratulate once again. There, we were able to observe concrete and practical examples of the implementation of the working definition of antisemitism in Argentina—a definition to which this organization dedicated so many years of labor and debate. I hope it has served as an inspiration for those countries that have not yet adopted it, and as a testament to how its implementation can actively contribute to the fight against this ancient scourge.
Following that, we received the greetings of President Javier Milei and Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, reflecting the commitment to this presidency and to the IHRA as an organization at the highest political level in the country.
I want to reiterate what an honor it is for me to serve as IHRA Chair, coming from the private sector and presiding over the Buenos Aires Holocaust Museum. At the same time, I am accompanied by our wonderful Ambassador, Fabiana Loguzzo, representing the Argentine State. I truly hope this public-private cooperation can serve as a model for future presidencies, as it embodies an element that lies at the very heart of the IHRA: the coexistence of government officials and experts from diverse backgrounds.
The committees and working groups did an outstanding job, which was presented in this plenary session. We trust that we have provided the best possible conditions for you to fully dedicate to the work plan developed over recent months.
I am pleased that we approved the working rules, and I hope we will do the same with the Code of Conduct at our next plenary session in Novemeber, alongside other crucial decisions, to ensure the continuation of concrete, tangible outcomes. It is my hope, and it would be a formidable achievement to approve the strategy during the first quarter of 2027.
It was an immense honor to welcome you to our Museum. One of the most powerful sources of inspiration I had to push forward the renovation of the museum was being able to look the survivors in the eyes at the inauguration. It is thanks tto them that Holocaust remembrance is so strong in Argentina, and surely one of the main reasons why our country remains the sole member ofour region.
My wish is for this Alliance to be able to look into the eyes of the few survivors we have left and tell them: all of our efforts are dedicated to ensure that your suffering is transformed into fundamental lessons for humanity.
I had promised you good Argentinian food and tango back in Jerusalem in December, and I hope I had honoured my promise. For our next meeting, we will be working with great dedication to ensure you can discover other relevant landmarks and, most importantly, to bring you closer to the true essence of Latin America. This is an effort we will undertake alongside the entire IHRA team, in order to make the absolute most of this opportunity regarding our region.
As Special Advisor Rob Williams remarked in his speech today, we are living in turbulent times. In a world filled with such volatility, uncertainty, and ongoing challenges to the very values that the IHRA represents, it is our duty to strengthen dialogue, consensus, and, above all, concrete action, to create an impact that promotes better human coexistence. That is, perhaps, the most vital lesson left to us by the Shoah. It is in times like these, rather than in times of peace, that our work within this alliance takes on a fundamental value. We must, therefore, redouble our efforts toward consensus and, above all, concrete action, in order to multiply the impact of our work.
Thank you, Michaela Küchler, for your leadership and your hard work alongside the entire Permanent Office to ensure that everything was conducted in a productive and efficient manner. I would also like to highlight that, in your opening speech, you brought up Eugenia Unger. Eugenia Unger is not only a survivor but also a founding member of the Holocaust Museum in Argentina and one of the most prominent figures of Shoah remembrance in Argentina. Her voice was so powerful that, despite having physically left us just under three years ago, she still managed to be present at this plenary session through your words. For that, I also want to thank you, Michaela.
Thank you to my dear Co-Chair, Ambassador Fabiana Loguzzo. It has been an honour working with you and our co-deputy chairs, Ambassador Gustavo Ainchil, Fabiana Mindlin and Jonathan Karszenbaum, for I ask you a big applause for all the dedication. Thanks to the full presidential team and to the team of the ministry of foreign affairs. Also I want to thank the organizations of the local chapter of the IHRA for their cooperation.
Thank you to all the Working Group and Committee Chairs, all the delegates and the partners organizations, for actively participating in the various activities throughout the plenary.
And, last but not least, to all the volunteers, security agents and staff members of the Buenos Aires Holocaust Museum and all the institutions involved who, thanks to their dedicated work, made sure we all felt comfortable throughout these busy days.
I wish you all the very best on your return home. I hope that when you review the fruitful and valuable work accomplished during these days back in your offices, your memories will be accompanied by the melodies of tango, the taste of Argentine beef, and the images of “My dear Buenos Aires”, as Carlos Gardel sings. I expect that in November, when we see each other again, it will be also your dear Buenos Aires.
Thank you very much.
