Remarks as Delivered by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Philemon Yang,
International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust
11:00 am, 27 January 2025, General Assembly Hall
[As Delivered]
Your Excellency, Isaac Herzog, President of the State of Israel
Mr. Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I welcome all of you to this occasion.
We gather here today on International Holocaust Remembrance Day to solemnly commemorate one of the darkest chapters in human history.
This year is particularly significant, marking 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau—a name etched in our collective memory as a symbol of unimaginable cruelty – brutality that can never be forgotten.
It also marks 80 years since the end of Second World War and the founding of the United Nations.
This Organization was created to prevent such atrocities and to build a world where human rights are upheld, and all people live with dignity and peace.
Today, we honour the memory of six million Jewish men, women, and children, as well as the Roma, the Sinti, and countless other groups of people who perished in the Holocaust.
Some survivors of this atrocity are here with us today:
- Mr. Dumitru Miclescu;
- Ms. Marianne Muller; and
- Ms. Ginger Lane.
Their courage in standing before us, even as they confront reminders of the unimaginable brutality they endured, commands our deepest respect.
They are living witnesses to the catastrophic consequences of unchecked hatred and barbarism.
The preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, forged in the aftermath of this tragedy, reminds us: “Disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind.”
Similarly, it was our shared revulsion at the crime of genocide that led to the adoption of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide—a solemn commitment by the global community to ensure that such horrors are never repeated.
The moral imperative before us is clear: we must build a future where our commitment to human dignity is absolute and uncompromising.
Indeed, as President of the General Assembly, I hold the respect for human dignity as one of my core principles.
Throughout the 79th session, I remain committed to supporting efforts to build a future grounded in peace, security, justice, and equality for all.
Central to this objective is education and vigilance against all forms of prejudice and hate, including antisemitism.
It is equally our responsibility to guard against historical distortions, such as Holocaust denial.
To ignore the overwhelming evidence of this brutal chapter in human history—from gas chambers to the testimonies of survivors and even perpetrators—is to risk repeating such atrocities.
We must never forget that the Holocaust did not begin in the gas chambers; it began in the minds of human beings, fueled by hate speech, propaganda, and systemic discrimination.
It was the devastating result of allowing hatred and dehumanization to take root, fueled by indifference and apathy.
It should alarm us deeply that today we are witnessing a resurgence of hate speech, antisemitism, xenophobia, and discrimination in all its forms across many parts of the world.
Equally, a number of armed conflicts in some parts of the world have been marked by inhuman brutality and massive killings of innocent civilians, including women and children – and utter disgreard for international law, including international humanitarian law.
Such practices in warfare blur the difference between conflict and genocide.
These are warning signs that we are treading a dark and familiar path—the very path we swore to abandon with the solemn promise of “never again.”
Never Again.
I reiterate that education and raising awareness about these atrocities remains our most powerful instrument against the tide of hatred.
By fostering education, raising awareness, and promoting critical thinking and empathy, we equip future generations to recognize and reject the seeds of intolerance before they take root.
The survivors of the Holocaust, with their courage and willingness to recount the unimaginable suffering they endured, play an indispensable role in this effort.
In fact, no person can conquer the human spirit.
Survivors remind us not only of the horrors they experienced but also of the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of preserving memory as a shield against future crimes and genocides.
We all share a global responsibility to build a culture of peace, tolerance, respect, and mutual understanding.
In memory of those who perished and in honour of those who survived, we must commit ourselves to creating a world where human dignity is cherished, a world where equality and justice prevail, and where the lessons of the past guide us toward a brighter, freer, and more just future for all.
I thank you.
Media Contacts
Sharon Birch, Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly, Tel: +1 212 963 0564, M: +1 646 342 5873, Email: birchs@un.org
Dr. Mariam Shaikh, Adviser/ Social and Digital Media/Media Relations, M: +1 917 3614990, Email: mariam.shaikh@un.org
