A trust with the aim to inform people about the Holocaust and combat anti-Semitism and all forms of intolerance in Ireland was officially launched in Dublin today.
Through survivors' testimonies and activities the The Holocaust Educational Trust is particularly targeting young people in schools, third level and other centres of education and youth groups.
Zoltan Zinn-Collis, a Holocaust survivor said: "As I go around the country speaking to school pupils, I start with a simple question, 'who knows what the Holocaust was?' More often than not a blank stare is my reply.
"Now the establishment of the Holocaust Educational Trust means that we and the Holocaust will not be met by blank stares."
"Ireland along with 43 other nations signed a declaration that the Holocaust was to be forever remembered and the Sunday closest to January 27 thwould be a formal memorial day," said Ruairi Quinn TD, Chair of the Holocaust Educational Trust, at the opening.
"In Ireland this developed into a group which felt that we needed more than just a commemorative event."
As a tangible way to stimulate awareness and discussion about discrimination the Trust sponsors the crocus project. Pupils of fifth and sixth class in primary school with yellow crocus bulbs to plant in the autumn in memory of the one and a half million children who died in the Holocaust.
For older children the Trust encourages artistic projects that promote the study, creation, performance and exhibition of works of art related to the Holocaust and all forms of intolerance.
"We also intend to raise money to fund projects such as trips for secondary school pupils to Auswitz and other projects which perhaps would be appropriate for the transition year," said Mr Quinn.
"The lesson of the Holocaust is that it could possibly happen again if we didn't ensure that the memory of the horror is forever implanted in future generations," he said.