Ellen Germain, Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues
Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs
Handover Ceremony to Israel of the 2025-26 Presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance
Jerusalem, Israel
As prepared
Excellencies and Distinguished Delegates,
I want to warmly welcome Israel as the new president of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (known as the IHRA) and congratulate the United Kingdom on its just-concluded very successful presidency. The United States is confident that Israel will lead the IHRA with great success and insight.
One of the greatest challenges ahead for the Alliance is how new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) will affect Holocaust remembrance and education, and how to harness its power for good while limiting its potential for harmful effects, particularly as the survivor generation disappears.
Vice President Vance at the February AI Summit in Paris said: “The Trump administration believes that AI will have countless revolutionary applications in economic innovation, job creation, national security, health care, free expression and beyond.”
So, the United States is excited about the potential of AI and is dedicated to making American AI technology the gold standard worldwide. We invite others to join us.
We also recognize that AI’s rapid development can pose risks. As the Vice President also said: “Hostile foreign adversaries have weaponized AI software to rewrite history, surveil users, and censor speech. “
AI will affect how we remember the past and how we frame the future. When it comes to Holocaust remembrance, history, and education, we recognize that AI can offer powerful tools for spreading the truth. How do we commemorate and educate about the Holocaust as well as confront Holocaust distortion and denial in the online space? How can we honor the memory of those who suffered while using new technologies to catch the attention of youth and educate them about the Holocaust and its lessons for our own day?
Respecting and defending the accurate history of the Holocaust confronting Holocaust distortion and denial and protecting the facts and the integrity of survivor testimony will be just as important tomorrow as it has been these past 80 years.
As the Vice President said: “We must focus now on the opportunity to catch lightning in a bottle, unleash our most brilliant innovators and use AI to improve the wellbeing of our nations and their peoples.”
We look forward to working with Israel on these important issues during its IHRA presidency.
Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs
Handover Ceremony to Israel of the 2025-26 Presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance
Jerusalem, Israel
As prepared
Excellencies and Distinguished Delegates,
I want to warmly welcome Israel as the new president of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (known as the IHRA) and congratulate the United Kingdom on its just-concluded very successful presidency. The United States is confident that Israel will lead the IHRA with great success and insight.
One of the greatest challenges ahead for the Alliance is how new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) will affect Holocaust remembrance and education, and how to harness its power for good while limiting its potential for harmful effects, particularly as the survivor generation disappears.
Vice President Vance at the February AI Summit in Paris said: “The Trump administration believes that AI will have countless revolutionary applications in economic innovation, job creation, national security, health care, free expression and beyond.”
So, the United States is excited about the potential of AI and is dedicated to making American AI technology the gold standard worldwide. We invite others to join us.
We also recognize that AI’s rapid development can pose risks. As the Vice President also said: “Hostile foreign adversaries have weaponized AI software to rewrite history, surveil users, and censor speech. “
AI will affect how we remember the past and how we frame the future. When it comes to Holocaust remembrance, history, and education, we recognize that AI can offer powerful tools for spreading the truth. How do we commemorate and educate about the Holocaust as well as confront Holocaust distortion and denial in the online space? How can we honor the memory of those who suffered while using new technologies to catch the attention of youth and educate them about the Holocaust and its lessons for our own day?
Respecting and defending the accurate history of the Holocaust confronting Holocaust distortion and denial and protecting the facts and the integrity of survivor testimony will be just as important tomorrow as it has been these past 80 years.
As the Vice President said: “We must focus now on the opportunity to catch lightning in a bottle, unleash our most brilliant innovators and use AI to improve the wellbeing of our nations and their peoples.”
We look forward to working with Israel on these important issues during its IHRA presidency.