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STATEMENT BY NAVI PILLAY TO MARK THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF COMMEMORATION IN MEMORY OF THE VICTIMS OF THE HOLOCAUST
25 January 2013

GENEVA (27 January 2013) - Following is a statement by United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay to mark the International
Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust:

Today is the day to remember that 70 years ago millions of Jewish men,
women and children, as well as Roma, Slavs, disabled people,
homosexuals, Jehovah's witnesses, communists and other political
dissidents were being brutally assassinated, simply because of who they
were.

This important commemoration gives us the opportunity to reflect on one
of the most tragic moments of our history and to remember the millions
of lives that were destroyed in this senseless violence.

But this special day is also more than that. It is a reminder that the
ultimate responsibility of making sure that such monumental crimes never
happen again rests with each and every one of us.

This responsibility goes beyond words and good intentions. It requires
us to maintain our ability to stand firm in our fight against
discrimination and related hatred at all times. It requires us to not
permit manifestations of hatred or discrimination to go unnoticed or
unchallenged. It requires us, every single day of our lives, to stay
vigilant against efforts to excuse or turn a blind eye to hate speech
and acts of discrimination and incitement to violence.
Such constant vigilance is the only way to ensure there is no risk of
repetition, and the best way to honour the memory of Holocaust victims.