The United Nations (UN’s) International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust (International Holocaust Remembrance Day) is observed annually on 27 January across the globe to honor the memory of victims of the Holocaust, also known as the Shoah.
- Shoah was the genocide perpetrated by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during World War II, primarily targeted European Jews, resulting in the loss of 6 million Jewish lives.
- The theme of International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust 2025 is, “Holocaust remembrance for Dignity and Human Rights.”
Background:
i.On November 1, 2005, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted Resolution A/RES/60/7, and proclaimed January 27 as an annual ‘International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust’.
- The 1st International Holocaust Remembrance Day was observed on January 27, 2006.
ii.It also established the Holocaust and the UN Outreach Programme to deepen understanding of the Holocaust’s lessons in the context of the UN’s work for peace and human rights.
iii. The commemoration serves as a reminder of the need to uphold human rights, dignity, and the values of tolerance and mutual respect across the globe.
Significance:
i.January 27 also marks the anniversary of the liberation of the ‘Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi German Concentration and Extermination Camp’ by Soviet troops which took place on January 27, 1945.
- January 27, 2025 marks the observance of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi German Concentration and Extermination Camp.
About Holocaust:
i.The Holocaust (1933-1945) was the organized, state-backed persecution and slaughter of 6 million Jews across Europe by Nazi Germany, along with its allies and collaborators.
ii.This Holocaust era began in January 1933 when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party assumed power in Germany, and it ended in May 1945 with the defeat of Nazi Germany by the Allied Powers in World War II.
iii.The Holocaust is also referred to as “the Shoah,” a Hebrew term meaning “catastrophe.”
2025 Events:
On the occasion of the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) organized a series of events on 23 January 2024 in Paris, France. The events include:
i.A Symposium titled “As the Witnesses Fall Silent” was conducted in collaboration with the United States (US) Holocaust Memorial Museum, the United States of America (USA), exploring the role of young generations in preserving the memory of the Holocaust.
ii.”Campus XL” Session: Around 300 students attended which was organized in partnership with the Mission for the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings.
iii.Exhibitions: ‘Beyond the Abyss’: A powerful photography exhibit by Olivier Mériel displayed on UNESCO’s outer fences, in partnership with the Shoah Memorial, Paris, France.
iv.‘Timeless Treasures’: This exhibition, curated by Xavier Bourgois and Christophe Viseux, showcased the Jewish cultural heritage through the lens of various photographers.
UN Events:
i.The UN Holocaust Memorial Ceremony was held at the UNGA Hall in New York, the USA and was hosted by Melissa Fleming, the UN Secretary-General (SG) under Global Communications.
ii.The event featured testimonies from Holocaust survivors and included speeches from notable figures such as the UN Secretary-General, the President of the 79th session of the General Assembly, and various representatives from Member States.
About United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO):Â
Director-General (DG)– Audrey Azoulay
Headquarters- Paris, France
Established – 1945
About United Nations (UN):
Secretary-General (SG)– António Guterres
Headquarters- New York, the United States of America (USA)
Established – 1945
