Skopje, 9 November 2021 (MIA) – The Republic of North Macedonia has joined the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) as its 35th full-fledged member at the Thessaloniki meetings held November 2-10. The delegation of North Macedonia, led by Ambassador Jovan Tegovski, presented the application that included the results and activities in the field of remembrance, education and research of the Holocaust in the country. Austria and Greece, as states-mentors in the accession process, provided unequivocal support to North Macedonia’s IHRA accession, as did the remaining member-states, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release. It adds that the IHRA membership validates the Government’s policies and its continued commitment in the commemoration of the 7,144 Jews from the Republic of North Macedonia-victims of the Holocaust, enhancement of education and research of the Holocaust, fight against anti-Semitism, denial and distortion of the Holocaust, hate speech, as well as continued promotion, respect and protection of human rights. IHRA is an intergovernmental organization founded in 1998 which unites governments and experts to strengthen, advance and promote Holocaust education, research and remembrance worldwide and to uphold the commitments of the Declaration of the Stockholm International Forum on the Holocaust. IHRA members are 25 EU states, United States, Israel, Canada, Argentina, Australia, along with several permanent international partner organizations – United Nations, UNESCO, Council of Europe, OSCE/ODIHR etc.