Looking back. Looking ahead. 2020-2025

POLITICS AND SOCIETY | SPEECHES   189 attention to who is fanning the flames and how. My hope is that we learn from our history. The pandemic presents us with yet another challenge.We must not allow our society to become divided. In times like these, cohesion and solidarity are more important than ever. And that depends on each and every one of us. Ladies and Gentlemen, Places like these keep the memory of what happened alive. For the younger generation, in particular, engaging with antisemi- tism and extremism is of vital importance. Here, even 76 years after liberation, the suffering of the victims can still be felt. The work carried out by concentration camp memorial sites and their staff is invaluable. Dear Karl Freller,  Dear Prof. Skriebeleit,  I would like to express my sincere gratitude for all the care, dedication and time you devote to your work. My highest respect goes to you and to all employees who did not experi- ence these events themselves, yet are fully committed to this dark chapter of our history. Your tireless efforts are so valuable, because remembrance is not only about honouring the past, but also about raising awareness among the younger genera- tion. Young people must be reminded of the true meaning of “Never again!”. After all, their knowledge of such horrific events is often limited to history books. Thank you for your dedication. I hope that many people will take the time to learn about the stories and fates of the countless victims. And we all carry the responsibility to shape our present and future with humanity. Wherever I can contribute, I will do so with all my heart. Thank you for allowing me to be here today. I wish you all the very best.