US embassy cable - 05ROME1018

UNCLAS ROME 001018 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/OHI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, PO, IT 
SUBJECT: HOLOCAUST EDUCATION: ITALY PASSES ITC GAVEL TO 
POLAND 
 
1.  On March 15, Italy formally passed the chairmanship of 
the International Task Force for Cooperation on Holocaust 
Education, Remembrance and Research (ITF) to Poland. 
Attendees at the ceremony included the Polish Ambassador, 
representatives of the Italian Jewish communities in Rome and 
Milan, and academics specializing in the Shoah.  Italian 
Chair Ambassador Franchetti Pardo outlined Italy's major 
accomplishments this past year, which included expanding ITF 
membership to twenty countries, funding 30 education 
projects, and expanding distribution of holocaust education 
materials to schools in Europe. Following the ceremony, the 
MFA released a statement at a press conference announcing the 
handover.  At a March 17 lunch hosted by the Ambassador for 
visiting members of the American Jewish Committee, Pardo told 
the group that he was very proud of Italy's accomplishments 
and was confident in Poland's ability to carry on ITF 
activities. 
 
2.  During the ceremony, the new chairperson of the ITF for 
Poland, Professor Daria Nalecz said she looked forward to the 
challenge of chairing ITF during a year with so many World 
War II anniversaries.  She noted that Poland itself had lost 
three of the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust and 
said the six were part of ten million people overall killed 
by the Nazis.  She planned to continue Italy's work, 
especially in supporting education projects for children, and 
outlined plans for ITF meetings June 27-30 and November 14-17 
as well as an international conference at some point next 
year. 
 
3.  Karel Fracapane, who has been coordinating ITF 
activities, confirmed that he has now moved to Warsaw and 
will continue working with Dr. Nalecz.  He has been an 
excellent Embassy contact and post recommends that Embassy 
Warsaw contact him to continue efforts to monitor ITF 
activities. 
 
SEMBLER 
 
 
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	2005ROME01018 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED