On January 27, the International Day in Memory of the victims of the Holocaust takes place. During the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the concentration and extermination camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau, Belgium will pay particular attention to the commemoration of the victims of this atrocious genocide.  In this camp, that stands as a symbol of the Holocaust, as well as in many other camps and on execution sites, the Nazis and their collaborators killed millions of people.

More than six millions Jews, Roma, political prisoners and homosexuals have been systematically persecuted, tortured and murdered. This day, dedicated to the commemoration of the victims of the Holocaust, also wants to pay tribute to the increasingly smaller group of those who survived these atrocities. They play a decisive role in the education of new generations and keep the memories about the Holocaust alive. Their testimonies and stories should be shared during the commemorations so that we do not forget or trivialize the suffering of these millions of men, women and children, and draw the necessary lessons from it.

On 1 November 2005, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted Resolution 60/7 about the remembrance of the Holocaust. It indicated 27 January as the annual International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. Belgium fully subscribes to this day, which is an important reminder of the universal significance of the Holocaust. It participates in the commemorative ceremonies in Auschwitz with a delegation, led by Their Majesties the King and Queen. With the presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance in 2012 and 2013 and the organization of the Conference on the Prevention of Genocides on March 31 and April 1 2014, Belgium has contributed in a decisive way to the international awareness and action to prevent large- scale atrocities.

January 27 also emphasizes the principles of tolerance, fight against discrimination, racism and anti-Semitism, and promoting human rights for all, regardless of race, sex, language or religion. These fundamental values, that lay at the basis of the Council of Europe, of which Belgium currently holds the presidency till the end of the semester, are the best guarantees to avoid mass atrocities and genocides, like the Holocaust. In this framework, a conference “Tolerance is stronger than Hatred” will be organized on May 8 in Brussels, bringing together young people, media, civil society and policy makers. The aim of this conference is to create a common basis for an action plan.

The atrocious experience of the Holocaust also teaches us that during this particularly dark period of our history, in Belgium as well as in many other countries, there were men and women that didn’t remain indifferent to the injustice inflicted to their loved ones. With fear for their own lives, they saved and rescued numerous children, women and men. They acted righteously and have saved many lives. They did what seemed normal to them: helping and saving other people. They deserve our utmost respect.