Holocaust Day: UN Resident Coordinator urges tolerance, respect for minority groups.

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Both state and non-state actors have been urged to reflect on history and condemn actions that threaten the dignity and safety of vulnerable populations worldwide.

At a commemorative event in Accra on Tuesday to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day, Mr. Charles Abbani, the United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator, described the Holocaust as “a dark chapter in our history, we should never forget.”

Stressing the need of respecting the rights of all individuals, he noted that despite the end of the Holocaust 80 years ago, lessons from the past were relevant in educating future generations on the need to combat such “evil.”

“The Holocaust serves as a haunting reminder of the dangers of unchecked hatred, intolerance, discrimination, and the need for unwavering vigilance against prejudice and hate speech.

“…[It] reminds us that when human rights; whether based on race, religion, ethnicity, or other differences, are violated, the dignity of all humanity is at risk,” Mr Abbani stated.

Holocaust Remembrance Day is observed annually to honour the memory of the six million Jews and other minorities who were tragically murdered across Europe by the Nazis and their collaborators.

This year’s edition on the theme: “Holocust Remembrance for Dignity & Human Rights” was held by the German and Israeli Embassies and the United Nations in Ghana. 

Stressing respect for international laws that protect human rights, Mr Abbani expressed concern about disinformation and misinformation which sought to “distort” the facts of the Holocaust.

“When we allow such distortion to persist, we risk undermining the very foundation of human rights and enabling the resurgence of discrimination in all forms as well as desecrating the memory of the victims.

“We need to safeguard the facts; we need to safeguard history in order to honour of the victims of the Holocaust,” he noted.

The UN Resident Coordinator praised the “resilience and courage” of the survivors of the Holocaust, and reiterated resistance to the rise of “antisemitism, racism, and xenophobia,” and other violent traits and injustice.  

He also conveyed the UN Secretary General’s message for the Day and announced the UN “Action Plan to Enhance Monitoring and Response to Antisemitism,” focusing on awareness, education, commemorative actions, and strengthening civic action.

January 27, 2025, marked the 80th anniversary since the end of the Holocaust in 1945.

Mr Roey Gilad, Ambassador of Israel to Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, compared the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel to the Holocaust, saying that Israel would remain “stronger” despite the “nightmare.”

He expressed optimism about the safe release of the remaining 90 hostages captured by Hamas fighters during the attack.

Mr Daniel Krull, German Ambassador to Ghana, highlighted the importance of applying lessons from the Holocaust in current social and political dispensation.

“We need to remember if we want to build a better place. We need to learn our lessons from our history, to take well-informed decisions, and to know where we have to be vigilant,” he stated.

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