The United Nations(UN)’s International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust is annually observed across the globe on 27th January as a tribute to the victims of the holocaust, also known as the Shoah, which was the genocide of European Jews during World War II.
The day also marks the 77th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau, Nazi German concentration and extermination camp.
The theme of International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust 2022 is “Memory, Dignity and Justice”.
Why January 27?
The day also marks the anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau by Soviet troops on 27th January 1945.
Background:
i.The United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/60/7 on 1st November 2005 and proclaimed the 27th January of every year as the “International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust”.
ii.The first ever International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust was observed on 27th January 2006.
What is Genocide?
Genocide is an internationally recognized crime where acts are committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.
Auschwitz-Birkenau:
i.Auschwitz was established by Germans in 1940, in the suburbs of Oswiecim, a Polish city that was annexed to the Third Reich by the Nazis.
ii.It became the largest of the extermination centres where the “Endlösung der Judenfrage” (the final solution to the Jewish question – the Nazi plan to murder European Jews) was carried out.
Efforts of UNESCO:
i.United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) educates about the Holocaust and Genocide as a part of its effort to promote Global Citizenship Education (GCED), a priority of the Education 2030 Agenda.
ii.The UNESCO General Conference Resolution 34C/61 (2007) on Holocaust Remembrance emphasize the historical significance of the Holocaust.
