OSCE Serbia’s Chairmanship conference in Belgrade reflects on lessons learned from the Second World War

BELGRADE, 8 September 2015 – The commemoration of the 70^th anniversary of the Second World War and reflection on lessons learned from this tragic period in history was in focus of OSCE Serbia’s Chairmanship hosted conference which gathered historians, representatives of OSCE member States and of the NGONGO
non-governmental organization sector in Belgrade today.

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić reminded conference participants that the events of the Second World War prompted the establishment of international and regional organizations. “The Second WW led to efforts to create mechanisms that would prevent such an atrocity from happening again,” he said.

In addition to the establishment of international and regional organizations, particular attention was given to the influence of the Second World War to memory and the importance of dealing with the past through education: “although a large part of the road on the way to coping with the burden of historical heritage has been overcome, the phenomena of historical revisionism and neo-Nazism are still present”, stressed Dačić. “I am convinced that in regard to the culture of remembering the Second World War our biggest enemy is the lack of knowledge.”

“We must continue emphasizing the importance of the victory over fascism; make sure that no man finds it acceptable in any form. We can succeed if we continue preserving memories of that darkest period in the history of mankind and its glorious struggle to overcome it,” Dačić concluded.