From the Liveblog of
Thursday, March 19, 2026
Argentina begins presidency of International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleZev Stub is the Times of Israel's Diaspora Affairs correspondent.
Argentina has officially assumed the presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), taking the mantle from Israel to become the first South American country to lead the intergovernmental body.
The presidency rotates every year. Israel took the position in March 2025, with Yad Vashem chairman Dani Dayan serving as chair, after the United Kingdom held it prior to that.
At a handover ceremony in Buenos Aires yesterday, Dayan warned that preserving Holocaust memory remains a challenge worldwide.
“As the voices of survivors grow fewer and distortion forces loom larger, our collective responsibility grows greater,” he said.
IHRA Secretary General Michaela Küchler called Argentina’s leadership a “geographic milestone.” During the year, there will be more focus on bringing the IHRA closer to Latin America and facilitating greater access to Holocaust archives, IHRA says.
Argentina is home to one of Latin America’s largest Holocaust survivor communities. Business leader Marcelo Mindlin will serve as IHRA chair, with support from Argentina’s Foreign Ministry.
Two plenary meetings are scheduled in Buenos Aires in June and November, each preceded by conferences on antisemitism and regional Holocaust education.
The Times of Israel Community.