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Statement by UN Secretary General on Holocaust Commemoration Day 2006 |
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Written by United Nations
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Monday, 16 January 2006 |
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Today, for the first time, the United Nations marks what will, from now
on, be an annual observance: the International Day of Commemoration in
memory of the victims of the Holocaust.
There can be no reversing the unique tragedy of the Holocaust. It must
be remembered, with shame and horror, for as long as human memory
continues
Only by remembering can we pay fitting tribute to the victims. Millions
of innocent Jews and members of other minorities were murdered in the
most barbarous ways imaginable. We must never forget those men, women
and children, or their agony.
Remembering is a necessary rebuke to those who say the Holocaust
never happened or has been exaggerated. Holocaust denial is the work of
bigots. We must reject their false claims whenever, wherever and by
whomever they are made.
Remembering is also a safeguard for the future. The abyss reached in
the Nazi death camps started with hatred, prejudice and anti-Semitism.
Recalling these origins can remind us to be ever on the lookout for
warning signs.
As the Holocaust recedes in time, and as the number of survivors
dwindles, it falls to us – the current generation -- to carry the torch
of remembrance and uphold the cause of human dignity.
The United Nations was founded as a reaction to the horrors of the
Second World War. Even so, the international community has too often
failed to stand up to mass atrocities. In recent years, we have taken
important steps to improve on that record, such as establishing the
International Criminal Court and agreeing on the collective
responsibility to protect.
On this International Day of Commemoration, the theme of our observance
is “remembrance and beyond”. In that spirit, let us pledge ourselves to
even greater efforts to prevent genocide and crimes against humanity.
Visit the UN Holocaust Memorial section: http://www.un.org/holocaustremembrance/
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