International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2024: Date, History And Significance

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is observed on January 27 each year as a tribute to the millions of people who suffered and lost their lives during one of the most tragic periods in history during World War II.

The date marks the anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau by Soviet troops on 27 January 1945. It was officially proclaimed, in November 2005, International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust by the United Nations General Assembly.

The Adolf Hitler-led Nazi regime targeted and killed around six million Jews. The mass murders were carried out either through poison gas or shootings. The victims of the genocide also included Roma, Resistance members, politicians, disabled individuals, Slavic people, LGBTQ+ individuals, and others considered "undesirable" or a threat to their ideology.

Besides honouring the memories of the victims, this day reminds us it is important to stand up against discrimination, prejudice, and hatred. It is a call to the international community to strive to prevent such atrocities from happening again.

UNESCO pays tribute to the memory of the victims of the Holocaust and reaffirms its unwavering commitment to counter antisemitism, racism, and other forms of intolerance that may lead to group-targeted violence, the UN agency said.

United States President Joe Biden on Friday marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day, saying in a statement that it was “more pressing than ever” for Americans to bear in mind the atrocities committed by and evil of the Nazis, and the dangers of antisemitism.

"Tomorrow, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we join nations around the world and pause to mourn one of the darkest chapters in human history, when six million Jews were systematically targeted and murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators in the Holocaust during the 1930s and 1940s," Biden said.

"On this somber International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we hold the Jewish community and the people of Israel close in our hearts. We recommit to carrying forward the lessons of the Shoah, to fighting antisemitism and all forms of hate-fueled violence, and to bringing the hostages home.  And we remember the enduring strength, spirit, and resilience of the Jewish people – even in the darkest of times," he said.

To read his full statement, click here.