The world celebrates the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust
January 27, 2010
In November 1st, 2005, the General Assembly of the United Nations designated the 27th of January of each year thereon as the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, under its resolution 60/7.
This date was chosen because it marks the day the soviet army freed the largest Nazi extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, in Poland.
The resolution approved by the UN General Assembly condemns without reserve all manifestations of religious intolerance, incitement, harassment or violence against persons or communities based on ethnic origin or religious belief, wherever they occur;
In addition to the statements of intention, such as the one mentioned above, the UN created an outreach program, aimed at encouraging the development of educational curricula on the subject of the Holocaust, and to mobilize civil society for education and awareness. The outreach program holds an yearly campaign and a series of events during the week of January 27th, always focused on a different theme. This year’s campaign will focus on a central theme: “The Legacy of Survival", which emphasizes the universal lessons that the survivors will pass on to succeeding generations.
Amisrael dedicates the month of January every year in its institutional calendar as the “Month of Memory”, aiming to promote the observance of this day and the remembrance of the horrors of the Holocaust, passing it on to future generations, so that this dark stain in humanity’s history does not repeat itself.
The delegations of Amisrael in several countries carried out celebratory events as an act of solidarity towards the Jewish people, in a demonstration of respect to life, creed diversity, ideologies, cultures and religions, as well as of rejection to any denial, either in full or in part, of the Holocaust as a historical event.
Text: Gabriela Lara
Main Source: UN
English Version: Patricia Mamede
|
