Honoring the Past and Building a Better Future: UN Marks 80th Anniversary of Holocaust Liberation
Over 15 months after the October 7 terror attacks by Hamas in Israel, UN Secretary-General António Guterres reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to securing the release of all hostages and achieving a lasting ceasefire in Gaza. Reflecting on humanity’s shared struggles, the Secretary-General’s remarks came amidst commemorations marking 80 years since the Holocaust’s end.
Each year, on the anniversary of the liberation of Nazi concentration camps in 1945, the world observes International Holocaust Remembrance Day to honor the six million Jews who were murdered, alongside persecuted Roma, Sinti, people with disabilities, LGBTIQ+ individuals, and others who suffered under Nazi tyranny.
Never Forget: The Lessons of the Holocaust
At a solemn ceremony in the UN General Assembly, Israeli President Isaac Herzog joined the UN chief in reflecting on the enduring importance of Holocaust remembrance. This year’s event marks eight decades of collective efforts to preserve the memory of victims and ensure the lessons of history are never lost.
Acknowledging the courage of survivors who recount their traumatic experiences, Guterres emphasized that remembering the Holocaust is not merely a moral obligation but a call to action. “Remembrance is a call to ensure the horrors of Auschwitz-Birkenau and other concentration camps are never erased from history,” he stated.
Fighting Hate in All Its Forms
The commemoration highlighted the role of education in combating hate speech and ignorance. Drawing on the words of Auschwitz survivor and acclaimed writer Primo Levi, Guterres implored people to “carve the knowledge into our hearts,” encouraging global efforts to combat antisemitism and stand up for universal human rights.
“Antisemitism is still with us – fueled by the same lies and loathing that made the Nazi genocide possible. And it is rising,” Guterres warned. He urged the international community to reject Holocaust denial, oppose discrimination, and prioritize truth-telling in an era where misinformation and division abound.
To further these goals, the United Nations has launched an Action Plan on Antisemitism to enhance education efforts and resist distortions of historical fact. Guterres called for unity, asserting, “We will never forget. And we will never waver in that fight.”
President Herzog’s Appeal for Peace
In his remarks, Israeli President Isaac Herzog declared, “Challenging our right to exist is not diplomacy; it is plain antisemitism.” Reflecting on Israel’s emergence from the ashes of the Holocaust, Herzog expressed hope for peace between Israel and its neighbors, including Palestinians.
“Our nation rose from the flames of the crematorium not to live forever by the sword, but to build, to repair, to add light, to heal,” Herzog said. He called for collective efforts to combat hate and build a shared future, affirming: “What happened once will never happen again.”
Stories of Survival: A Roma Voice
Holocaust survivor Dumitru Miclescu, a Roma man, shared his harrowing tale of deportation to the Transnistria terror camps as an eight-year-old in Romania. Supported by his niece, Miclescu addressed the audience, stating, “I am here not just for myself, but for all the Roma who suffered during the Holocaust and did not have the chance to be heard.”
Recalling the horrors of forced labor, starvation, and constant terror, Miclescu highlighted the enduring struggles faced by Roma survivors, urging young people to learn from history and “build a world without racism.”
A Legacy of Resilience: Marianne Muller’s Testimony
Marianne Muller, who was just a baby during the Holocaust, also spoke at the ceremony. Accompanied by her children and grandchildren, she referred to them as her “personal answer to Hitler.” Muller emphasized the alarming rise of antisemitism worldwide and called on the global community to never forget that the atrocities of the Holocaust occurred only 80 years ago.
A Plea for Humanity: Ivan Lefkovits’ Message
At a parallel ceremony in Geneva, Nazi death camp survivor Ivan Lefkovits delivered a poignant address, urging future generations to “never be neutral, especially not towards human suffering.” The 88-year-old recounted the murder of his father and brother under Nazi rule and his harrowing experience in concentration camps like Ravensbrück and Bergen-Belsen, where he narrowly survived starvation and thirst.
Lefkovits called on the youth to study history—not just to learn but to understand how and why the Holocaust happened. “Only by truly understanding the past can we ensure a better future,” he declared.
Building a World Without Hatred
Throughout the ceremonies, survivors and leaders alike reiterated the importance of speaking out against hatred, promoting education, and defending human rights. Guterres reminded participants that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
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