Making ‘Never Again’ a Reality: UNESCO Conference on Holocaust Education

Ed note: This has been cross-posted from State.gov

The weather in Paris today reflected the mood in UNESCO's conference room -- gloomy with a chance of sunshine. For just as the clouds were heavy, so too was the discussion of Holocaust education and how genocide and hatred still exist despite the global effort to teach the lessons of the Holocaust. And just as the sun poked through at the end of the day, so did the optimism that great minds can come together and tackle this problem.

On the Road in Peoria: Combating Hate, One Community at a Time

In the United States of America, no one should have to live in fear of being physically attacked because of what they look like, where they come from, what they believe, who they are, or who they love.  That’s why President Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law on October 28, 2009, adding federal protections against violent crimes that are based on the gender, disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation of the victim to the existing protections for hate crimes based on race, color, religion, or national origin.  While 45 states have hate crimes laws, only 12 states and the District of Columbia have laws that cover sexual orientation and gender identity and 31 states have laws that cover only sexual orientation.  This landmark federal legislation – the first federal civil rights law to specify protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity – was first introduced more than a decade ago and fills a critical need. 

Announcing the White House LGBT Conference Series

Later this month, the White House Office of Public Engagement (OPE) will launch a series of conferences around the country specifically focused on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans.

Held in partnership with key Departments and Agencies, these White House LGBT Conferences will provide advocates, providers, and community organizations of the public an opportunity to hear directly from the Administration on our efforts to ensure health, dignity, and justice for LGBT Americans.  These conferences will empower participants by connecting them with Federal government information, resources, and opportunities.

The inaugural event, the White House LGBT Conference on Health, will be held in Philadelphia on February 16th, and will feature remarks by Secretary of Health & Human Services Kathleen Sebelius.  Participants will receive important updates from Administration officials and have the opportunity to learn about Federal government resources and opportunities through workshop sessions on issues such as access to care, aging, cultural competency, and mental health and substance abuse.  This conference will also provide an opportunity to highlight innovative work on LGBT Health already taking place in communities across America.

These conferences are part of our ongoing education, outreach, and training efforts.  Future conferences will be held around the country and will focus on topics including, but not limited to, Housing & Homelessness, Safe Schools & Communities, and HIV/AIDS Prevention.

Click here if you are interested in attending the White House LGBT Conference on Health.  Please note that space is limited and registrations will only be accepted until we reach capacity.

For more information and updates, sign up for White House LGBT Updates.

Gautam Raghavan is an Associate Director in the Office of Public Engagement.