Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., October 10, 2007 , | | Israel Time: 09:44 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Print Edition Diplomacy Defense Arts & Leisure Real Estate Jewish World National Advertising Magazine Week's End Business Opinion Rosner's Domain Anglo File Books Travel

President Shimon Peres welcoming representatives of Israel's Holocaust survivors to his Jerusalem residence earlier this month. (Tess Scheflan / Jini) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 06:08 08/10/2007 Int'l Holocaust survivor meeting to be held on state anniversary By Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz Correspondent An international convention of Holocaust survivors is being planned for autumn 2008 in honor of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel. The Center of Organizations of Holocaust Survivors in Israel announced the gathering, expected to be the largest of its kind, after a meeting on Sunday with President Shimon Peres, who agreed to sponsor the convention. Conference organizers said that programming will emphasize the survivors' stories as individuals and as a collective, as well as the justification for the State of Israel's existence in the face of recent anti-Israel statements by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and by Arab leaders. Advertisement In addition to informing Peres about the conference and asking him to serve as its chairman, the COHSI representatives briefed the president on the ongoing negotiations with the government over pension allowances for survivors living in Israel. Peres agreed to chair the gathering but suggested that the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, author Elie Wiesel, was "more suitable" for the position. Peres said the conference was "very important, especially in light of the attacks [on Israel] by the wicked Ahmadinejad." Tens of thousands of survivors from Israel and the Diaspora as well as leaders from around the world will be invited to the convention, which was the brainchild of COHSI Secretary General Noach Flug. Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel is being considered as a conference guest, but the organizers say they have not yet decided on official German participation in the event. The representatives told Peres that no solution has been found yet for 80,000 "second-circle" survivors, people who fled from areas under Nazi occupation, and are living in Israel and suffering from economic distress. More Jewish World news and features Bookmark to del.icio.us Group goals Hapoel T.A. could be given either death or a dream in the UEFA Cup group stage draw. Bandits on wheels The new vehicles most often stolen in September were Sanyung motorbikes.   1.   Israel talking to itself, again 09:41  |  Dani Reiss 08/10/07   2.   Israel`s existence can never be justified 10:04  |  Khalid 08/10/07   3.   to Khalid 19:39  |  Ze`ev 08/10/07   4.   who cares about the little gnome 07:27  |  sweis Melbourne 10/10/07

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