First international encounter for the Neshama Project in Paris -  January 25/28 2026

This initiative, supported by the European Commission, also received the support of the German Federal Foreign Office for its inaugural meeting in Paris. Following several months of virtual exchanges, the event brought together young participants from five countries around a shared objective: preserving and transmitting the memory of the Holocaust and the history of Jewish life in Europe. 

Bringing together approximately 200 students, teachers, and project partners, the programme featured student presentations on the history of the Holocaust in their respective countries through sites of remembrance, guided visits exploring Jewish life in Paris, and a reflection session on women’s resistance led by Lisa Pine. 

Participants also heard the testimony of Holocaust survivor Arlette Testyler and took part in the official ceremonies marking 27 January, culminating in their participation in the rekindling of the Eternal Flame beneath the Arc de Triomphe. 

The meeting concluded on 28 January at Paris Hôtel de ville in the presence of French and European institutional representatives, with a closing address delivered by Pascale Falek, Policy Officer in the Office of the European Commission Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life.