With an event at the Duhau Palace, the Israeli institution dedicated to the commemoration of the Holocaust presented its local chapter
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The World Holocaust Remembrance Center, Yad Vashem, officially inaugurated its representation in Argentina at an event held at the Palacio Duhau. The ceremony brought together diplomats, academics, and cultural leaders and was attended by the Israeli ambassador, Eyal Sela, along with the project's promoters, Fabiana "Fafi" Ricagno and Adrián Werthein.
The launch marks an important step in Yad Vashem's international expansion, aiming to strengthen education and the transmission of Holocaust memory from a contemporary perspective that resonates with young people.
Education, youth, and new languages
The president of Yad Vashem Argentina, Fafi Ricagno, explained that the current challenge is to connect with new generations through art, music, and social media.
"We want to appeal to all the disciplines that interest young people: music, images, videos, rap, trap. Remembrance can't be limited to pain: it must be a vital force," she stated.
Yad Vashem inauguró su representación en Argentina con foco en educación y memoria
The leader also emphasized that education remains a structural debt in the country, and that Yad Vashem's work will seek to restore a culture of learning and respect. In this context, she announced the international competition Post for Life, aimed at young people who wish to express on social media what the value of life means to them.
Active remembrance in the face of antisemitism
During the event, Adrián Werthein highlighted the importance of strengthening ties between Argentina and Israel and promoting spaces for active remembrance in an international context marked by the resurgence of hate speech.
In a recorded message from Jerusalem, the president of Yad Vashem, Dani Dayan, warned that the Shoah did not arise suddenly, but in a climate of demonization that today reappears in new forms.
"In times of growing antisemitism, Yad Vashem's mission is vital so that the world understands how far it can descend by fostering the dehumanization of Jews," he pointed out.
Reflections on October 7 and the current reality
The Israeli diplomat Yuval Rotem reflected on the impact of October 7, 2023, a date that marked a turning point for Israel: "We woke up to a catastrophe. From that moment, we understood that we must be more vigilant. However, there is a difference: Israel exists today. We have a place to go, and that changes everything," he stated.
Yad Vashem inauguró su representación en Argentina con foco en educación y memoria
Meanwhile, technology entrepreneur Santiago Bilinkis analyzed the role of social media in spreading hate speech, warning that TikTok has become the main space for youth ideological formation. "October 7 was the first massacre broadcast on social media, but the most shocking thing was October 8: seeing how that exposure caused support instead of rejection," he pointed out.
Journalist Alejandro Gorenstein shared a personal perspective on how the Hamas attacks altered the sense of security among Jewish communities: "Now we must once again explain what Israel is and why it has the right to exist and defend itself," he stated.
Remembrance and future
The event concluded with a tribute to the Briton Nicholas Winton, who saved 669 children from the Holocaust.
The new Argentine chapter of Yad Vashem aims to consolidate a space for education, reflection, and action that keeps historical memory alive, but with tools adapted to the present.
