Today, we solemnly mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which coincides with the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau German Nazi concentration and extermination camp (1940-1945), a place where unimaginable horrors were committed and where humanity witnessed the depths of its own capacity for evil.
As we reflect on this solemn milestone, we honour the memory of the millions of innocent men, women, and children – Jews, Poles, Roma, and countless others – who were murdered in the death factories built by the German Nazi occupiers to carry out the Holocaust.
On this day, we also pay tribute to the survivors, whose resilience and courage as witnesses continue to inspire us. Through their testimonies, they have ensured that the world will never forget what transpired behind those gates. They challenge us to confront injustice wherever it exists and to protect the values of freedom, human rights, and mutual respect.
Today, Auschwitz-Birkenau is a sacred site of memory and reflection, preserved by Poland as a solemn place of remembrance and a warning to future generations, ensuring that the lessons of history remain vivid and that the cries of the innocent are never silenced.
In Poland today, world leaders, including the Prime Minister of Canada, are gathered for a solemn commemoration to honour the victims of the Holocaust and reaffirm a global commitment to ensuring that such atrocities are never repeated. This anniversary is a powerful reminder of the enduring responsibility we all share to confront hatred, promote tolerance, and uphold human dignity.
May we remember, honour, and vow never to forget those who suffered and perished at the hands of German Nazis at Auschwitz-Birkenau and other concentration and extermination camps.