Memory, Dignity and Justice: the theme of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Seventy seven years ago, on 27 January 1945, the prisoners of the Nazi death camp Auschwitz were released by the Red Army. To prevent similar crimes against humanity in future the United Nations Organization (UN) designated the date as the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust.

This year the central theme of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day is “Memory, Dignity and Justice.”

Today we commemorate six million Jewish men, women and children, who died in the Holocaust between 1933 and 1945, including 800 thousand Jews murdered in Belarus by the Nazi and their accomplices.

In his speech dedicated to the International Holocaust Remembrance Day the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said:

“Remembering the past is crucial to safeguarding the future.

Today, let us commit to never be indifferent to the suffering of others, and never forget what happened or let it be forgotten by others.

Let us pledge to always be vigilant and uphold human rights and dignity for all.”

The UN rejects and condemns without reservation any denial of the Holocaust as a historical event and considers such denial a manifestation of extreme religious intolerance, anti-Semitism and act of genocide. The UN considers hate speech a direct attack on the ideals of tolerance, inclusion, and diversity. Hate and hostile speech influences social cohesion, sets the stage for the manifestation of violence and undermines peace and sustainable development principles.

The UN Resident Coordinator in Belarus Joanna Kazana-Wisniowiecki took part in the ceremony of a memorial ketubah signing in the Beit Simcha Centre in the presence of the Plenipotentiary for religions and nationalities, representatives of the embassies of Israel, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Great Britain, Romania, Poland and other countries and the Orthodox, Catholic, and Muslim communities of Belarus.

The text of the ketubah says: “In 2005, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted its Resolution 60/7, in which resolved to designate the day of liberation of Auschwitz by the Red Army as the International Holocaust Remembrance Day.  May the memory of the Holocaust victims help prevent any acts of genocide in future as well as any attempts to deny the tragedy of six million Jews, the victims of the Catastrophe.  May their memory remain eternal.”

Together with the representatives of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, the diplomatic corps and religious communities the UNDP Resident Representative in Belarus Alexandra Solovieva took part in the memorial ceremony in the Yama Memorial Complex.

“Belarus is working on perpetuation of the memory and passing it on to future generations. Memorials and memorial boards are being opened and educational activities conducted, - Alexandra Solovieva said addressing the ceremony participants.  - We cannot allow these crimes to happen again. The tragedy of the Holocaust is an eternal and fearful memory for all of us about the consequences of anti-Semitism, discrimination, hatred and prejudices.”