A warning to all people of the dangers of hatred, bigotry, racism and prejudice."
- United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/76/250 on Holocaust Denial
Holocaust Remembrance for Dignity and Human Rights
The United Nations was established in response to the horrors of the Second World War and the Holocaust. The Holocaust has had a profound impact on International Human Rights Law, resulting in the United Nations’ adoption of foundational documents in 1948: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 60/7 in 2005 designated 27 January as the annual International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust and established the Holocaust and the United Nations Outreach Programme. This date was chosen as it marks the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz Birkenau German Nazi Concentration and Death Camp on 27 January 1945.
The International Day is a global reminder of the dangers of hatred, bigotry and antisemitism. The Day is a call to remember, reflect and take action to ensure such atrocities never happen again. The International Day is observed with commemorative events and activities at United Nations Headquarters in New York and the United Nations offices around the world.
Secretary-General’s message
Resources
- General Assembly Resolutions , and
- Multimedia resources for Holocaust education