The NSW Legislative Council unanimously passed the motion ‘Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocides’ on Wednesday, February 7.
The Hon. Chris Rath MLC first presented the Notice of Motion on Thursday, December 7 in the NSW Legislative Council.
In the motion, Hon. Rath acknowledged that December 9, 2023, marked the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
Hon. Rath’s motion also honoured the primary initiator of the Convention, Dr Raphael Lemkin, influenced by his studies of the Armenian Genocide and the Jewish Holocaust.
As part of his motion, Hon. Rath then urged the NSW Government to expand the secondary school Holocaust education curriculum to encompass Armenian, Assyrian, and Greek Genocides, and establish a museum to create awareness about these genocides.
The motion garnering widespread support on Thursday and saw several members of the NSW Legislative Council express their backing, including Daniel Mookhey MLC (ALP), Dr Amanda Cohn MLC (GRNS), Susan Carter MLC (LIB), Mark Buttigieg MLC (ALP), Jacqui Munro MLC (LIB), Anthony D’Adam MLC (ALP), and Stephen Lawrence MLC (ALP).
The Joint Justice Initiative (JJI), which is a collaborative advocacy endeavour by the Armenians, Assyrians, and Greek communities, extended its heartfelt gratitude to Mr Rath for his support.
The JJI said funding for a dedicated museum will serve as a vital educational resource, enriching students’ comprehension of historical events.
