OTTAWA – “Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) commemorates the six million Jews and 11 million others who lost their lives in the genocide perpetrated by the Nazi regime and its collaborators during the Second World War.
“Hate and antisemitism have not left the world and we see that intolerance is on the rise. Yom Hashoah reminds us all of our duty to actively resist hate and doctrines of racial and religious supremacy, and for our governments to root out all supremacist movements from our institutions and societies.
“In addition to remembering the millions of lives that were lost, Yom Hashoah is also a day to recognise the heroism of the Jewish resistance during the Second World War. They, too, must serve as a permanent reminder that extraordinary courage is possible, even under the most difficult of circumstances.
“As we remember the Holocaust, let us not forget that such atrocities are not simply a story of the past. Since the Second World War, genocides continue to be perpetrated. Whether it is Rwanda, Bosnia, Myanmar or the Uyghur, humanity continues to target its own members for physical or cultural extermination, often with impunity. It is our duty of remembrance to all the victims of genocide to continue to work to end these crimes against humanity and to bring perpetrators to justice.”
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For more information or to arrange an interview:
Rosie Emery
Press Secretary
613-562-4916x206