Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust

Monday's Holocaust Remembrance Day is an opportunity to reflect on the memory of all those who perished in the Holocaust, and the enduring legacy of those who survived, including those who took great risks to resist Nazi dehumanization.

27 January 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi German concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, where over one million people were murdered, most of whom were Jewish. To mark the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, and commemorate this important anniversary, UNESCO, in collaboration with the Normandy Region and the Shoah Memorial, hosts the photo exhibition Beyond the Abyss of the Auschwitz-I and Auschwitz-II Birkenau camps by photographer Olivier Mériel. The photos will be exhibited on the fences of the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris from 20 January to 28 February 2025.

As young teenagers, Ruth Cohen, Steven Fenves, and Irene Weiss were deported from their hometowns to Auschwitz-Birkenau. There, they were separated from family members before being subjected to forced labor and harrowing conditions. In Steven’s words, “life was learning to die.” More than 1.1 million people were killed at Auschwitz, of whom nearly one million were Jewish men, women, and children. In their first recorded conversation together, these three survivors, who volunteer at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, reflect on their time at Auschwitz so that we might learn from their experiences of the deadly consequences of unchecked hatred and antisemitism. Together, we can defend the truth of the Holocaust.

Three Survivors Remember Auschwitz, 80 Years Later.

More than 250 students gathered to discuss the Shoah, the transmission of memory and the importance of history teaching.

27 January 2025 will mark the 80ᵉ anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi concentration and extermination camp. On the occasion of the International Day dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Holocaust, more than 250 students from middle schools in Paris and the Paris region joined together at UNESCO for a significant and meaningful event. 

The Campus opened with a warm welcome from Matthieu Guével, UNESCO's Director of Communication, and Cecilia Barbieri, Chief of UNESCO's Section for Education for Global Citizenship and Peace. They underlined UNESCO's fundamental role in the fight against racism, hate in all its forms and anti-Semitism, reaffirming the importance of education in building an inclusive and tolerant future.

Philippe Étienne, Ambassador of France and Chairman of Mission Libération, then took the floor. He explained to the audience that the aim of the commemoration was to raise awareness among young people of the importance of remembering past tragedies and passing on a universal message of peace and freedom.

Mrs Beate Klarsfeld and Mr Serge Klarsfeld, UNESCO Honorary Ambassadors for Holocaust Education and the Prevention of Genocide, then shared their personal stories as survivors and their commitment to the fight against impunity for those responsible for the Nazi Final Solution. They emphasised the need to prevent anti-Semitism, a struggle for which they have now become symbols.

The students then watched the film “The Most Precious of Cargoes” by Michel Hazanavicius, a fictional account that reflects the reality of the Shoah and offers a perspective on the horror of the Holocaust.

After the screening, the students had a discussion with Florence Gastaud, co-founder of the production company “Les Compagnons du cinéma” and producer of the film “The Most Precious of Cargoes”.

During the discussion, Florence explained how the film, by using the expression ‘Heartless’ to refer to the Jews, explores a form of universality that allows parallels to be drawn with other conflicts and stigmatization around the world. The great hope of this film lies in its power to raise awareness for future generations against all forms of racism.

During the discussion, a student from the Paul Éluard middle school asked an essential question: How can we pay tribute to the victims of genocide today? Florence replied that it was above all a question of immersing ourselves in their stories so as to preserve them and pass them on to future generations. 

Memory work is about rediscovering for yourself the history of people who may have lived near you. It’s about reconstructing their journeys so that their stories are never forgotten

Florence GastaudCo-founder of the production company “Les Compagnons du cinéma” and producer of the film “The Most Precious of Cargoes”.

Following this, Denis Peschanski, Emeritus Director of Research at the CNRS and Chairman of the Scientific and Orientation Council of Mission Libération, gave the students an analysis of the history of the Shoah and “The Most Precious of Cargoes”. The expert explained how the film, through images and fiction, provides an account of the atrocities of the extermination of the Jews in Europe, avoiding excessive violence and encouraging reflection. He also stressed the importance of words in analysing reality and understanding the specific nature of genocide as the systematic extermination of an entire people.

The students questioned Denis Peschanski about the interpretation of certain elements of the film and its role as a testimony to a period of inhumanity. He reminded them that the younger generations had a crucial role to play in passing on this memory and preserving peace.

This genocide is a unique tragedy, and it is our duty to pass on its history.

Denis PeschanskiEmeritus Director of Research at the CNRS and Chairman of the Scientific and Orientation Council of Mission Libération

This UNESCO Campus was an opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the tragic lessons of history, to strengthen their commitment to the values of tolerance and humanism, and to take a full part in the commemoration of the Holocaust, arming themselves to combat all the forms of violence and hate that still threaten our societies today.

This event was made possible in collaboration with Mission Libération and with the support of StudioCanal.

The annual Holocaust Memorial Ceremony is the central event organized in observance of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. It will be held on 26 January 2024 in the United Nations General Assembly Hall, under the theme "Recognizing the Extraordinary Courage of Victims and Survivors of the Holocaust".

Opening remarks by Melissa Fleming, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, at the United Nations Memorial Ceremony marking the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust 2024.

Remarks by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, at the United Nations Memorial Ceremony marking the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust 2024

The observance of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust 2024. It will be held on 26 January 2024 in the United Nations General Assembly Hall, under the theme "Recognizing the Extraordinary Courage of Victims and Survivors of the Holocaust".

On January 27th, everyone is also encouraged post as a symbol of awareness and commitment to combating antisemitism. To learn more about this important campaign and how you can contribute to making a difference visit:

Uniting to combat antisemitism.

This Saturday Jan. 27 is Holocaust Remembrance Day, an internationally recognized opportunity to remember the atrocities of the Holocaust, support survivors and educate future generations to ensure it never happens again. In honour of the day, City Hall and Springer Market Square will be illuminated in yellow that night.

The Kingston Jewish Council encourages community members to tune into the livestream of the annual Holocaust Remembrance Day commemoration event, which takes place at the National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa at 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 26. It will feature remarks from survivors, Jewish community leaders and diplomatic representatives.

Event and livestream details are here:

Follow as your photos of remembrance for International Holocaust Remembrance Day are projected at the former Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp where 1.1 million people were murdered. #WeRemember

"The Yad Vashem Book of Names of Holocaust Victims" details alphabetically the name of each of the approximately 4.8 million Holocaust victims that Yad Vashem has currently documented and confirmed. The names are taken from Pages of Testimony in Yad Vashem's Hall of Names, as well as from various lists compiled during and following the Holocaust, and subsequently reviewed by Yad Vashem experts. The display of "The Yad Vashem Book of Names of Holocaust Victims" at the United Nations is supported by the Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations.

In the run-up to International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the President of Russia met at the Kremlin with Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar and President of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia Alexander Boroda.

Today, we honor the memory of the victims of the Holocaust.

We remember the six million Jewish children, women, and men, as well as the Roma and Sinti, the people with disabilities, and countless others who perished.

We reflect on the millions of individual lives cut short; the millions of futures stolen away. 

As we mourn the loss of so many and so much, we also recognize that the Holocaust was not inevitable. No genocide ever is.

It was the culmination of millennia of antisemitic hate.

The Nazis could only move with calculated cruelty from the discrimination of Europe's Jews to their annihilation because so few stood up, and so many stood by. 

It was the deafening silence – both at home and abroad – that emboldened them.

The alarm bells were ringing from the very beginning.

Hate speech and disinformation. 

Contempt for human rights and the rule of law.

The glorification of violence and tales of racial supremacy.

Disdain for democracy and diversity.

In remembering the Holocaust, we recognize threats to freedom, dignity, and humanity – including in our own time.

Today – in the face of growing economic discontent and political instability, escalating white supremacist terrorism, and surging hate and religious bigotry – we must be more outspoken than ever.

We must never forget – nor allow others to ever forget, distort or deny the Holocaust.

Today and every day, let us resolve to never again remain silent in the face of evil – and to always defend the dignity and rights of all.

On the occasion of the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, 27 January, UNESCO urges social media companies to intensify their fight against antisemitism and denial and distortion of the Holocaust online. The Organization has already established partnerships with Meta and Tik-Tok as a key first step, but significant work remains.