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Among 120 representatives worldwide, Institute of Accounts,
Business and Finance (IABF) student Gino Ray Garcia was named as
one of the Ambassadors Of Remembrance, chosen by the Israeli
embassy in the first International Youth Congress in Jerusalem,
Israel last January 27-29.
With the theme “Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance
Authority,” the purpose of the congress is to unite youth
leaders express the subject of holocaust remembrance and its
significance for the future.
The congress focused on the role of youth on holocaust
prevention and denial. Holocaust, also known as the ‘mass
genocide’, was the murder of over six million European Jews by
the Nazi Party headed by Adolf Hitler. This act, according to
Hitler, was to prove the domination of Germans during the World
War II; they killed not only Jews but also those who are
disabled, gay men, political and religious rebels, such as
Jehovah’s witnesses.
During the event, they met Israeli President Shimon Peres at Yad
Vashem, an international school for holocaust study. From 120
participants, only five were given a chance to question Pres.
Peres about holocaust, Garcia was included. He asked Peres what
lessons can he derive from the holocaust, taking it in a Jewish
and a broader point of view.
“That just gives an example of another FEU student that is
capable of representing not just the university but our country
at an international level and I think we have more students like
that, we just need to find them and give them opportunity to
excel,” said Dr. Elizabeth Melchor, vice president for academic
affairs.
At
first Garcia claimed that he was not interested in the topic.
However, he admitted that after meeting a 12-year old survivor
whose parents were killed in the holocaust, he realized the
essence of the topic and importance of youth participation in
the congress.
“It’s when we realize that remembering the past draws an image
of the future we reflect the best of our dreams. However, we
must understand this phrase: ‘that the past belongs to the past’
and that we should never dwell in the trails of history,” said
Garcia in his essay entitled “Once, Humanity was Harmed”.
Garcia, together with Arjay Munoz, 2nd year
Bachelor of Science in Accountancy (BSA) and James Edward Ang,
IABF Student Council Sergeant-at-Arms, was endorsed by the
Office of Student Affairs and Community Services (OSACS) as the
three candidates of FEU. They were chosen through the list of
student leaders and scholars that were provided by each
institute to screen by OSACS.
The basis for choosing the three candidates were the academic
standings, leadership exposure, involvement in community events
and services and the 17-18 year-old age requirement set by the
Israeli Embassy. Zivivapni, Ambassador of Israel to the
Philippines, interviewed the three candidates. Among them,
Garcia was chosen to participate in the congress.
John Richard Castillo |
