“Free men and women denounce these vile crimes and when this world struggle ends with the enthronement of human rights, racial persecution will be ended.”

-Winston Churchill

On the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Holocaust Victims, Holocaust survivors and other leaders speak out to pay tribute to Holocaust victims and confirm their unshakable dedication to battling racism, antisemitism, and all kinds of prejudice that might result in violence against certain racial or ethnic groups. Many statements emphasize the importance of future generations learning about and remembering the Holocaust that happened in Europe in the 1930s and 1940s and why everyone should work together to prevent genocide. This year, under the theme “Home and Belonging”, it considers what these concepts meant to those who were persecuted during and after the Holocaust. The International Day of Commemoration in Memory of Holocaust Victims is a global observance, not a public holiday.

The UN organizes and supports Holocaust-related events such as concerts by musicians who survived the Holocaust or are descendants of survivors; art exhibitions influenced by the Holocaust; presentation of special stamps; introduction of special education programs; and film screenings and book signings.

Israel, as well as many other countries in Europe and North America, observe the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of Holocaust Victims. Many academics present discussion papers, hold seminars, or hold round-table discussions on the Holocaust and its modern-day legacy. Special Holocaust lessons may also be taught in schools or colleges. The Holocaust and how people commemorate it receive special attention in the media, including the Internet, television, radio, and print.

The Holocaust, or Shoah (Sho’ah, Shoa), is the term used to describe the deliberate murder and desecration of millions of people in Germany and German-occupied areas of Europe before and during World War II. Many of them were Jews, but others killed included Roma, Soviet civilians and prisoners of war, ethnic Poles, people with disabilities, homosexuals, and political and religious opponents. Many people died in Nazi-occupied Europe’s concentration and death camps. Auschwitz-Birkenau, near Owicim, Poland, was one of the most notorious concentration camps. Before Soviet troops liberated Auschwitz-Birkenau on January 27, 1945, more than one million people died there.

The UN General Assembly commemorated the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Nazi concentration camps on January 24, 2005. Following this session, a United Nations resolution was drafted to designate January 27 as the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of Holocaust Victims. The Resolution called for Holocaust education programs to help prevent genocide. It also rejected denials of the Holocaust’s existence. The assembly adopted this resolution on November 1, 2005, so that the day could be observed each year. It was observed for the first time on January 27, 2006.

Many Jewish communities, particularly in Israel, observe Yom HaShoah, a day of mourning for Holocaust victims observed on the 27th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, which corresponds to April or May in the Gregorian calendar.

The “Holocaust and the United Nations Outreach Program” symbol is made up of four elements on a solid black background. The words “Remembrance and Beyond” and the UN symbol, both in white, are two elements. The UN symbol is a globe projection centred on the North Pole, surrounded by two olive branches. A piece of barbed wire and two white roses complete the look. The strands of barbed wire blend into the rose stems. The barbed wire represents the concentration camps, the loss of freedom for Jews and many other groups before and during World War II, as well as their pain and suffering. White roses symbolize peace, freedom, and remembrance. These flowers are also associated with the White Rose, a nonviolent resistance movement active in Germany from June 1942 to February 1943. White roses are associated with the investigation, remembrance, and prevention of genocide in the United States and the United Kingdom.

In 2015, 39 countries observed International Holocaust Remembrance Day commemorations. Activities for Remembrance differed from country to country. Some hosted lectures and presentations on various topics, while others screened Holocaust films and documentaries. Other countries lit candles or read the names of Nazi victims.

In addition to commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day, many participating countries have established their commemorative days, which are frequently linked to Holocaust events. Argentina, for example, declared April 19, the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, to be the National Day of Cultural Diversity. Hungary declared April 16 as Holocaust Remembrance Day, commemorating the establishment of the Munkács Ghetto. The United States Congress established the Days of Remembrance in 1979 to commemorate Nazi regime victims, which usually take place between April and early May. The US Days of Remembrance correspond to Israel’s annual Holocaust Remembrance Day, Yom Ha-Shoah.

As we observe this day, let us make it a resolution to never again remain silent in the face of evil – and to always defend the dignity and rights of all.

Written by: Rtr. Imesha Udawatte

Graphic design by: Rtr. Malithi Fernando