Honoring International Holocaust Remembrance Day

On this International Holocaust Remembrance Day — which marks the 80th anniversary of the 1945 liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau — we honor the memory of the 6 million Jews and the millions of Roma, Sinti, Slavs, disabled persons, LGBTQ+ individuals, political dissidents and others who were murdered in the Holocaust. The world lost the perspectives and contributions of millions of individuals because of hate.

But even in the face of the cruelties and atrocities of the Holocaust, there were people who held steadfast in their humanity. We can learn from their inspiration and never forget the history of the Holocaust as we strive to counter hate in our society today. In remembering the horrors of the Holocaust, it is important to recognize that these events began with disinformation, words of hate and acts of discrimination. Every generation must make the commitment to “never again,” and that begins with education.