United Nations International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Remembering the victims of the Holocaust, on the 74th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

"It would be a dangerous error to think of the Holocaust as simply the result of the insanity of a group of criminal Nazis. On the contrary, the Holocaust was the culmination of millennia of hatred, scapegoating and discrimination targeting the Jews, what we now call anti-Semitism." - UN Secretary-General António Guterres

The General Assembly adopted a resolution (A/RES/60/7) adopted on 1 November 2005, by consensus, condemning "without reserve" all manifestations of religious intolerance, incitement, harassment or violence against persons or communities based on ethnic origin or religious belief, whenever they occur.

The resolution declared that the United Nations would designate 27 January - the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp - as an annual International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust, and urged Member States to develop educational programmes to instill the memory of the tragedy in future generations to prevent genocide from occurring again.

It requested the United Nations Secretary-General to establish an outreach programme on the "Holocaust and the United Nations", as well as institute measures to mobilize civil society for Holocaust remembrance and education, in order to help prevent future acts of genocide.

The United Nations General Assembly reaffirms that 'the Holocaust, which resulted in the murder of one-third of the Jewish people along with countless members of other minorities, will forever be a warning to all people of the dangers of hatred, bigotry, racism, and prejudice."

The Holocaust was a turning point in history, which prompted the world to say "never again". The significance of resolution A/RES/60/7 is that it calls for a remembrance of past crimes with an eye towards preventing them in the future.

The theme this year touches upon the Righteous Among the Nations - Non-Jewish rescuers of Jews during the Holocaust, upstanding citizens, that went above and beyond to save their fellow human beings at risk of their own lives.

This is consistent with the Holocaust Centre of NZ's ever-present message to be an Upstander rather than a bystander.

Keynote speakers include Wellington Deputy Mayor Jill Day, His Excellency Fabrizio Marcelli (Italian Ambassador in NZ) and HCNZ Director Inge Woolf QSO.

Free Public transport provided, sponsored by Wilson Funeral Home.

NZ Coach Service bus leaves Molesworth St, Thorndon at 12 pm, with one stop each way in Karori en route. Bus leaves promptly at ceremony conclusion and returns 3 pm.

In Partnership with New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO, Wellington City Council, NZ Human Rights Commission, Bnai Brith, Council of Jewish Women and the Wellington Regional Jewish Council.

All public welcome.