The Network for Building Peace reminds citizens that January 27 is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. On this day, we commemorate the liberation of the Nazi concentration camp and extermination of Auschwitz-Birkenau by the Red Army in 1945, and pay tribute to the victims of the Holocaust and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to combating anti-Semitism, racism and other forms of intolerance that can lead to violence.
In November 2005, the United Nations General Assembly passed an official resolution to mark the day, and the resolution appeals to all members of the United Nations to respect the memory of the victims of the Holocaust. Also, this resolution encourages the development of educational programs in order to show determination to help prevent genocide in the future.
As we live and work in the area where the most heinous crimes of rape, ethnic cleansing and genocide were committed, and in a time of rising and growing xenophobia, nationalism, racism, the extreme right and conspiracy and disinformation theories, it is our duty and obligation to remember innocent victims and fascist groups, political parties and regimes. As the crimes of genocide and the Holocaust are challenged, relativized, denied and even glorified, resolving remaining traumas, maintaining effective memory policies, caring for historic sites, promoting education and historical literacy becomes even more important to strengthen youth resilience to hate ideologies.
The Network for Building Peace invites citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina not to remain silent on discriminatory phenomena and practices and to raise their voices and persevere in the fight against all forms of fascism, anti-Semitism, nationalism, hatred and division, and to individually inspire others and show that change is possible. The Network for Building Peace also appeals to political entities to start pursuing a policy that does not lead to further divisions, but to bringing together and valuing each and every one of us by building an open society of real tolerance, friendship and solidarity where each individual and each community is respected, accepted, appreciated and loved with all its characteristics. The Network for Building Peace will continue to fight for society that will build a sustainable peace, a common life and an even stronger and more determined fight against all forms of fascism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, hatred, intolerance and discrimination.
The Network for Building Peace team
