Washington, DC, 27 January 2023 – The United Nations today held its annual observance of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. This day was chosen by the United Nations General Assembly to mark the liberation of the Auschwitz Birkenau German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp (1940-1945).
In New York, the United Nations Holocaust Memorial Ceremony, which was hosted by United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications Melissa Fleming, featured remarks by the United Nations Secretary-General, the President of the General Assembly, the Permanent Representative of Israel and the Deputy Representative of the United States, as well as a violin performance and memorial prayer.
In his remarks, Secretary-General António Guterres, said, “Holocaust remembrance is a call to be on constant alert. Never to be silent in the face of hate. Never tolerant of intolerance. Never indifferent to the suffering of others.”
Meanwhile, in Washington, DC, the Deputy Director of the United Nations Information Center in Washington, Brenden Varma, participated in commemorative activities at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. He first memorialized victims by reading their names out loud in the Hall of Remembrance. Following that, he interacted with Slovak Holocaust survivor Gideon Frieder, who described how he had seen his mother and sister killed in front of him and stressed how important it was for people to speak out when they saw incidents of hatred.
The United Nations Information Center in Washington works closely with “The Holocaust and the United Nations Outreach Programme”, which is located within the United Nations Department of Global Communications and was established in 2005 by the United Nations General Assembly. The programme mobilizes civil society for Holocaust remembrance and education in order to help to prevent future acts of genocide and is organizing activities throughout 2023.