At the January 13th New Westminster City Council meeting, delegate Shaugn Schwartz expressed gratitude for the city’s declaration of January 27th as Holocaust Remembrance Day, aligning with the International Holocaust Remembrance Observance. Schwartz emphasized the importance of this commemoration, recalling harrowing stories passed down by family members who survived the Holocaust.  

“It’s vital that we continue to educate and remember,” Schwartz said. “The atrocities committed against six million Jews, as well as millions of others targeted by the Nazi regime, must never be forgotten.”

The Holocaust, which took place between 1941 and 1945, saw the systematic murder of six million Jewish men, women, and children. Additionally, Roma, disabled individuals, LGBTQ+ people, and political dissidents were among the millions who suffered under Nazi persecution. Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi concentration and extermination camp, became a stark symbol of this genocide.  

In recent years, a disturbing rise in antisemitism globally has raised alarms. Statistics from the Anti-Defamation League indicate a surge in antisemitic incidents, with physical assaults, harassment, and vandalism reported in many countries. Schwartz underscored the importance of proactive education and awareness to counter hate and bigotry.

The city’s declaration reflects a broader commitment to promoting tolerance and understanding. Holocaust survivor Benjamin Orenstein, in an interview for the United Nations, shared a poignant reminder: “The Holocaust did not start with gas chambers. It started with words, with propaganda, with small acts of discrimination. It is our duty to ensure it never happens again.”

The council meeting concluded with a collective acknowledgment of the necessity to honor the memory of Holocaust victims and to stand resolute against the rising tide of hate in today’s world.