Leaders of Holocaust education bodies urge Mark Zuckerberg to tackle denial

The leaders of 23 worldwide Holocaust education centres have written an unprecedented joint letter to Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive and founder of the social media site, Facebook, offering help in tackling Holocaust denial and anti-Semitism.

In the letter — co-ordinated by Henry Grunwald, OBE, QC, chairman of the UK National Holocaust Centre and Museum — the signatories say that “we beseech you to work with us to protect society against one of the longest and darkest hatreds which, in the space of just three generations, is seriously beginning to threaten it again.”

Last month, Mr Zuckerberg caused a storm when he said that although he found it personally offensive, Facebook would not take down Holocaust denial sites. He said he believed in freedom of speech.

But those who have signed the letter to him say they offer “tangible, rapidly executable steps towards Facebook becoming part of the solution.” They say they can deliver “proven educational resources in multiple languages” and “cost-free development programmes for educators on Facebook”.

Facebook, say the signatories, “must not allow complete and utter falsehoods about the Holocaust, and about the Jewish people, to go systematically unchecked.” The letter describes anti-Semitism as “the canary in the coal mine, the first unravelling of a society’s moral fabric.”

The letter is signed by 23 leaders across the world, from Brazil to South Africa, Canada, America, and Australia, as well as a strong presence from the UK. British signatories include the Imperial War Museum and Yad Vashem UK, as well as survivor and campaigner Sir Ben Helfgott.

It is hoped to set up a face-to-face meeting with Mark Zuckerberg to hammer out an educational programme as soon as possible.

View the letter and its signatories below: