Every year, on the day of the liberation of the concentration camps in 1945, the world comes together to honor the memory of the six million Jews (mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, grandparents) who perished at the hands of the Nazis and their collaborators.
The commemoration includes Roma and Sinti communities, people with disabilities, LGBTIQ+ people and all others who suffered the systemic violence, torture and genocide of the Nazi regime.
Guterres emphasized that the lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten.
“Memory is more than honoring the past. It is a duty and a promise: to defend dignity, protect the vulnerable and maintain faith in those whose names and stories we refuse to forget.”
Secretary-General António Guterres addresses the UN Holocaust Memorial Ceremony, held in commemoration of the international day of remembrance in memory of the victims.
Fight antisemitism
Reiterating his condemnation of the horrific Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, Guterres said that while those horrors haunt us, gathering to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust brings hope.
“You are here because you choose hope over hate. You choose memory as a living force: a shield against prejudice, a spark for justice, a commitment to protect every human being.”he told the assembly.
Recalling that the Holocaust began with words, not murder, the Secretary-General stressed that “this dark chapter in our common history reveals sobering truths.”
“When those in power do not act, evil goes unpunished”he added, calling for widespread condemnation of anti-Semitism and all forms of hatred, anywhere and everywhere.
“Our duty is clear: tell the truth. Educate new generations. Confront anti-Semitism and all forms of hatred and discrimination. And defend the dignity of every human being,” he concluded.
‘Never again’, engraved in our DNA
UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock said that before the ceremony she met extermination camp survivor Blumenthal Lazan, who was deported to Bergen-Belsen as a child during World War II.
Ms Baerbock, a former German foreign minister, said she had visited the famous concentration camp when she was a young student, which left a strong impression on her.
Recalling that the promise of ‘Never Again’ is “engraved in the very DNA of the United Nations, its Charter and its Universal Declaration of Human Rights”, Ms Baerbock said it is “our duty to speak out, even louder than before, when signs of dehumanization emerge”.
Quoting Holocaust survivor Simon Wiesenthal, Ms. Baerbock added that “for evil to flourish, it only requires good men to do nothing.”
He said that ‘Never Again’ had to represent more than a slogan: “It is a duty to speak up, defend and defend the dignity and human rights of every member of our human family, everywhere, every day.”.
Remembering the lessons of the Holocaust
As part of ongoing efforts to combat hate speech, UN Holocaust commemorations around the world highlight the importance of educating future generations.