On the occasion of the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust and prevention of crimes against humanity, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs  Didier Reynders announced a future  international conference in Brussels on  March 31st and April 1st 2014 .

January 27 is the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz extermination camp. In this camp, the symbol of the Holocaust, and in many other camps and execution sites , the Nazis and their collaborators killed six million Jews, but also Roma, Sinti , homosexuals and political prisoners .

January 27 is also the occasion to pay  tribute to those who survived the horror. They play a decisive role in the education of new generations and keep alive the memory of the Holocaust. Their testimonies and stories must be submitted to the suffering of millions of people is not forgotten .

“On this day, tolerance, human rights and the fight against discrimination , racism and anti-Semitism are also central issues.” said  Didier Reynders.  “These core values ​​are the best guarantee to prevent mass atrocities and genocide , including the Holocaust”, he added.

Belgium chaired the International Alliance for the Memory of the Holocaust in 2012 and 2013 .