Inaguaration of the New Holocaust History Museum

15 March 2005

• Evening Ceremony
• Special Assembly

Heads of State and government from at least 15 countries, as well as United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and dozens of other nations’ leaders and dignitaries, joined Israeli President Moshe Katsav, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and Education Minister Limor Livnat in inaugurating the new Museum on March 15 and then participated in a special assembly at Yad Vashem the following morning.  The new Museum is set to open to the public at the end of March.

The New Holocaust History Museum was inaugurated first with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday afternoon, followed by official tours of the Museum and a ceremony that evening, featuring Katsav, Sharon, Livnat, Annan, Yad Vashem Chairman Avner Shalev, Chairman of the Yad Vashem Council Prof. Shevach Weiss and Nobel Laureate Prof. Elie Wiesel.

Following a brief early morning memorial service Wednesday in the Museum’s new Hall of Names, the special assembly, Remembering the Past, Shaping the Future, featured remarks from the heads of more than 35 delegations, their Israeli hosts and a number of leading Israeli intellectuals.

Pictured are Heads of the International Delegations, together with President and Mrs. Katsav; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Silvan Shalom; Minister of Education, Culture and Sport Limor Livnat; Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorat

President of the State of Israel Moshe Katsav, escorted by Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate Avner Shalev, cuts the ribbon inaugurating the New Museum

Rabbi Israel Meir Lau places the mezuzah on the entrance to the New Holocaust History Museum

Avner Shalev, together with the Heads of the Delegations, view a gallery in the New Museum depicting the Warsaw Ghetto

Leaders from the around the world view a gallery in the New Museum depicting the Final Solution

Evening ceremony marking the inauguration of the New Museum

Evening ceremony marking the inauguration of the New Museum

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon speaks during the Inaugural Ceremony of the New Museum

President Moshe Katsav addresses the audience during the Inaugural Ceremony of the New Museum

Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate Avner Shalev addresses the audience during the Inaugural Ceremony of the New Museum

Minister of Education, Culture and Sport Limor Livnat speaks during the Inaugural Ceremony of the New Museum

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan delivers his address at the ceremony marking the inauguration of the New Museum

Prof. Elie Wiesel delivers his address at the ceremony marking the inauguration of the New Museum