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Visit to Israel

Topic: Report

22 January 2020

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Elke Büdenbender travelled to Israel from 22 to 23 January. Together with President Rivlin, other Heads of State and Government and high level representatives, including those from France, the United Kingdom, Russia and the United States, the Federal President participated in the Fifth World Holocaust Forum at Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, which was entitled "Remembering the Holocaust: Fighting Antisemitism"; he also delivered an address at the Forum.

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Reuven Rivlin, President of the State of Israel, at the beginning of their talks at the residence of the President of the State of Israel in Tel Aviv
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier meets the Holocaust survivor Elias Feinsilber at the AMCHA Center Jerusalem .
Fifth World Holocaust Forum at Yad Vashem, Israel.
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier holding a speech at the Fifth World Holocaust Forum at Yad Vashem in Israel
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Reuven Rivlin, President of the State of Israel, after the speech of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the Fifth World Holocaust Forum at Yad Vashem in Israel


Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Elke Büdenbender travelled to Israel from 22 to 23 January, at the invitation of President Reuven Rivlin. The trip to Israel was the first in a series of events to commemorate the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp 75 years ago.

On the first day of the trip, 22 January, the Federal President met with President Rivlin for talks in Jerusalem. Afterwards, he visited the AMCHA Centre in Jerusalem, where he talked with Holocaust survivors. In the evening, President Rivlin hosted a dinner at his residence for visiting Heads of State and Government.

Together with President Rivlin, other Heads of State and Government and high level representatives, including those from France, the United Kingdom, Russia and the United States, the Federal President participated in the Fifth World Holocaust Forum at Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, which was entitled Remembering the Holocaust: Fighting Antisemitism; he also delivered an address at the Forum.

This Forum at Yad Vashem was followed by a commemorative event in Poland on 27 January marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration and extermination camp, which was attended by the Federal President together with President Rivlin and other Heads of State and Government. From there, Federal President Steinmeier and President Rivlin together traveled to Berlin, where on 29 January in the German Bundestag they delivered the keynote speeches at the main event in Germany commemorating the victims of National Socialism.

Wednesday, 22 January

  • Flight to Tel Aviv
  • Jerusalem, residence of the President of the State of Israel
    Talks with Reuven Rivlin, President of the State of Israel
  • AMCHA Centre in Jerusalem
    Visit by the Federal President to the AMCHA Centre in Jerusalem and talks with Holocaust survivors
  • Residence of the President of the State of Israel
    Dinner hosted by the President of the State of Israel

Thursday, 23 January

  • Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial
    Speech at the Fifth World Holocaust Forum, which is being held under the heading Remembering the Holocaust: Fighting Antisemitism
  • Memorial and wreath laying ceremony
  • Flight to Berlin

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