Stockholm International Forum

Excellencies,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

In the last century, more people were killed as a result of decisions made by others than during the entire preceding period in human history.

The bitter memories have many names - Armenia, Cambodia, Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. The most painful memories bear names like Auschwitz and Treblinka, Sobibor and Belzec.

Never again, we have said.
Never again, we have repeated.

But even so, wars and conflicts continue to scar our continents.

The horrors of war confront us all. They reach us via satellite from every continent. We all watch the rapidly shifting images - wounded soldiers, refugees on the road, terror-struck people, dead civilians. Most painful are the images of the children.

The look so often captured by photographers on the faces of children in wartime conveys horror, but something else as well - a question.

We know the kind of answer all too often given to the children: it’s the fault of the Serbs, the Albanians, the Hutus, the Tutsis, the Israelis, the Palestinians.

The same answer that children have received all down the ages - “the others”.

We know where that leads. Fear. Hate. Violence that just breeds more violence.

Repeating the phrase “never again” will not achieve much.

Growing intolerance is one of the most crucial issues of our time.
And it must be treated accordingly.

It is time to move from words to deeds.

Excellencies, Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, In the last century, more people were killed as a result of decisions made by others than during the entire preceding period in human history. The bitter memories have many names - Armenia, Cambodia, Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. The most painful memories bear names like Auschwitz and Treblinka, Sobibor and Belzec. Never again, we have said. Never again, we have repeated. But even so, wars and conflicts continue to scar our continents. The horrors of war confront us all. They reach us via satellite from every continent. We all watch the rapidly shifting images - wounded soldiers, refugees on the road, terror-struck people, dead civilians. Most painful are the images of the children. The look so often captured by photographers on the faces of children in wartime conveys horror, but something else as well - a question. We know the kind of answer all too often given to the children: it’s the fault of the Serbs, the Albanians, the Hutus, the Tutsis, the Israelis, the Palestinians. The same answer that children have received all down the ages - “the others”. We know where that leads. Fear. Hate. Violence that just breeds more violence. Repeating the phrase “never again” will not achieve much. Growing intolerance is one of the most crucial issues of our time. And it must be treated accordingly. It is time to move from words to deeds.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Our first day at the Stockholm International Forum 2001 is at an end.

Many of us who are participating in this conference come from wealthy countries, privileged societies. Lots of people would say that our problems with intolerance are only minor compared to those in the poor and war-torn countries of the world.

And in one sense that’s true - but it is also false.

Intolerance builds on fear - fear based on ignorance. Intolerance builds on values and attitudes that strike root inside people.

It terrifies those who are its target. It claims lives every day. It threatens democracy and peace.

Intolerance manifests itself everywhere. You could name any country. It’s there - in Sweden, in Denmark, in Spain, in Romania, in Australia, in Russia and in many, many other places.

The standard bearers have different faces in different countries. Intolerance has a thousand and one modes of expression. But the ugly tenet underlying it - that all human beings don’t have the same value and that human dignity doesn’t need to be respected - that is the same. Everywhere.

This is a human phenomenon, and thus a universal problem.

This Stockholm International Forum is a response to this, a response to the need for international cooperation.

This conference represents an endeavour and an opportunity to build the broad international networks that we so badly need to combat an increasingly globalised intolerance.

Today’s discussions have shown our common will to make this opportunity a living reality.

It is an honour and highly valuable that the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, has chosen to be with us here tonight.

In August the UN’s most important world conference against racism will be held in Durban in South Africa. We have high expectations of it.

I hope that the discussions and conclusions from the Stockholm International Forum will be of use there.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have talked about people spreading evil ideologies built on prejudice, about people shunning their responsibility to make their own choices, about people remaining silent when fellow human beings are subjected to racist violence.

I should also talk about all those who stand up for democracy and human dignity.

Four years ago, the Swedish Government launched the Living History project. The idea was to spread knowledge about the Holocaust, but also to generate an active dialogue between generations on values in general. To provide support for those embarking on this task we launched a number of projects, including the book entitled Tell ye your children. The response to the project in general and the book in particular exceeded anything we could have dreamed of.

During the course of this project I have met thousands of students, teachers, survivors, young and elderly persons - all willing to make an individual effort to take their responsibility and learn from history. All willing to make their contribution to a future where people behave with reason and conscience, and - as the UN charter says - “to act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”

Teaching and learning about the Holocaust is not only a way to deepen our understanding of the horrendous experiences of victims. Not only a way to understand the evil in man - a subject that Gitta Sereny so vividly described a few minutes ago.

This period of evil in human history also has its heroic chapters.

Raoul Wallenberg’s fearless and untiring efforts to save lives during the Second World War deserve to be remembered for all time.

The Swedish Government will not tire in its efforts to obtain an answer to what really happened to Raoul Wallenberg. I deeply regret something that is so clear today - that more energetic and purposeful action on the part of Sweden in the 1940s might have led to a more successful outcome for Raoul Wallenberg and his relatives.

There are many, many other women and men who can serve as examples to us all. We find them in the past, but also in the present. Or, in the example of Nelson Mandela - both. He spent 27 years of his life in a cell on Robben Island for the struggle against apartheid - and won.

In the life stories of persons like these we are given an opportunity to find the role models we need so much in today’s battle against racism, antisemitism, xenophobia or intolerance on any grounds.

Persons like these knew – and had the courage to stand up for it – there are no “we and them”, there are no “the others”. We are all equal in dignity and rights, and no one has the right to trample others underfoot.

From all those who never gave up we can learn that no commitment is ever in vain. Every single individual who has the courage to say “stop” makes a difference.

And if we follow their example we might, maybe some day, be able to experience that “never again” is more than just an empty phrase.

Thank you.




You are here: 2001 / Other Activities / The Prime Minister's Dinner at the Stockholm City Hall / Key-Note Speech by the Prime Minister of Sweden, Göran Persson

	Participants Countries and organizations Conference documentation Conference programme	Key-Note Speech by the Secretary General of the UN, Kofi Annan Key-Note Speech by Ms. Gitta Sereny Key-Note Speech by the Prime Minister of Sweden, Göran Persson Key-Note Speech by the Prime Minister of Sweden, Göran Persson Persson, Göran Key-Note Speech by th Prime Minister of Sweden Excellencies, Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, In the last century, more people were killed as a result of decisions made by others than during the entire preceding period in human history. The bitter memories have many names - Armenia, Cambodia, Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. The most painful memories bear names like Auschwitz and Treblinka, Sobibor and Belzec. Never again, we have said. Never again, we have repeated. But even so, wars and conflicts continue to scar our continents. The horrors of war confront us all. They reach us via satellite from every continent. We all watch the rapidly shifting images - wounded soldiers, refugees on the road, terror-struck people, dead civilians. Most painful are the images of the children. The look so often captured by photographers on the faces of children in wartime conveys horror, but something else as well - a question. We know the kind of answer all too often given to the children: it’s the fault of the Serbs, the Albanians, the Hutus, the Tutsis, the Israelis, the Palestinians. The same answer that children have received all down the ages - “the others”. We know where that leads. Fear. Hate. Violence that just breeds more violence. Repeating the phrase “never again” will not achieve much. Growing intolerance is one of the most crucial issues of our time. And it must be treated accordingly. It is time to move from words to deeds. Excellencies, Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, In the last century, more people were killed as a result of decisions made by others than during the entire preceding period in human history. The bitter memories have many names - Armenia, Cambodia, Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. The most painful memories bear names like Auschwitz and Treblinka, Sobibor and Belzec. Never again, we have said. Never again, we have repeated. But even so, wars and conflicts continue to scar our continents. The horrors of war confront us all. They reach us via satellite from every continent. We all watch the rapidly shifting images - wounded soldiers, refugees on the road, terror-struck people, dead civilians. Most painful are the images of the children. The look so often captured by photographers on the faces of children in wartime conveys horror, but something else as well - a question. We know the kind of answer all too often given to the children: it’s the fault of the Serbs, the Albanians, the Hutus, the Tutsis, the Israelis, the Palestinians. The same answer that children have received all down the ages - “the others”. We know where that leads. Fear. Hate. Violence that just breeds more violence. Repeating the phrase “never again” will not achieve much. Growing intolerance is one of the most crucial issues of our time. And it must be treated accordingly. It is time to move from words to deeds. * * * Ladies and Gentlemen, Our first day at the Stockholm International Forum 2001 is at an end. Many of us who are participating in this conference come from wealthy countries, privileged societies. Lots of people would say that our problems with intolerance are only minor compared to those in the poor and war-torn countries of the world. And in one sense that’s true - but it is also false. Intolerance builds on fear - fear based on ignorance. Intolerance builds on values and attitudes that strike root inside people. It terrifies those who are its target. It claims lives every day. It threatens democracy and peace. Intolerance manifests itself everywhere. You could name any country. It’s there - in Sweden, in Denmark, in Spain, in Romania, in Australia, in Russia and in many, many other places. The standard bearers have different faces in different countries. Intolerance has a thousand and one modes of expression. But the ugly tenet underlying it - that all human beings don’t have the same value and that human dignity doesn’t need to be respected - that is the same. Everywhere. This is a human phenomenon, and thus a universal problem. This Stockholm International Forum is a response to this, a response to the need for international cooperation. This conference represents an endeavour and an opportunity to build the broad international networks that we so badly need to combat an increasingly globalised intolerance. Today’s discussions have shown our common will to make this opportunity a living reality. It is an honour and highly valuable that the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, has chosen to be with us here tonight. In August the UN’s most important world conference against racism will be held in Durban in South Africa. We have high expectations of it. I hope that the discussions and conclusions from the Stockholm International Forum will be of use there. * * * Ladies and Gentlemen, I have talked about people spreading evil ideologies built on prejudice, about people shunning their responsibility to make their own choices, about people remaining silent when fellow human beings are subjected to racist violence. I should also talk about all those who stand up for democracy and human dignity. Four years ago, the Swedish Government launched the Living History project. The idea was to spread knowledge about the Holocaust, but also to generate an active dialogue between generations on values in general. To provide support for those embarking on this task we launched a number of projects, including the book entitled Tell ye your children. The response to the project in general and the book in particular exceeded anything we could have dreamed of. During the course of this project I have met thousands of students, teachers, survivors, young and elderly persons - all willing to make an individual effort to take their responsibility and learn from history. All willing to make their contribution to a future where people behave with reason and conscience, and - as the UN charter says - “to act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” Teaching and learning about the Holocaust is not only a way to deepen our understanding of the horrendous experiences of victims. Not only a way to understand the evil in man - a subject that Gitta Sereny so vividly described a few minutes ago. This period of evil in human history also has its heroic chapters. Raoul Wallenberg’s fearless and untiring efforts to save lives during the Second World War deserve to be remembered for all time. The Swedish Government will not tire in its efforts to obtain an answer to what really happened to Raoul Wallenberg. I deeply regret something that is so clear today - that more energetic and purposeful action on the part of Sweden in the 1940s might have led to a more successful outcome for Raoul Wallenberg and his relatives. There are many, many other women and men who can serve as examples to us all. We find them in the past, but also in the present. Or, in the example of Nelson Mandela - both. He spent 27 years of his life in a cell on Robben Island for the struggle against apartheid - and won. In the life stories of persons like these we are given an opportunity to find the role models we need so much in today’s battle against racism, antisemitism, xenophobia or intolerance on any grounds. Persons like these knew – and had the courage to stand up for it – there are no “we and them”, there are no “the others”. We are all equal in dignity and rights, and no one has the right to trample others underfoot. From all those who never gave up we can learn that no commitment is ever in vain. Every single individual who has the courage to say “stop” makes a difference. And if we follow their example we might, maybe some day, be able to experience that “never again” is more than just an empty phrase. Thank you. >> Back to top	Introduction Opening Session Plenary Sessions: Messages and Presentations Workshops, Panels and Seminars Closing Plenary Session and Declaration Other Activities Preparatory Seminar The Prime Minister's Dinner at the Stockholm City Hall


For information about this production and the Stockholm International Forum Conference Series please go to www.humanrights.gov.se or contact Information Rosenbad, SE-103 33 Stockholm, Sweden