On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, January 27, the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) and the global Ukrainian diaspora honour the memory of the 6 million Jewish victims executed and tortured by the Nazi regime, among whom were 1.5 million children.
The Holocaust reflects a totalitarian and murderous Nazi ideology based on xenophobia and the cultivation of intolerance and hatred. As stated in a United Nations resolution: “The Holocaust, which resulted in the murder of one third of the Jewish people, along with countless members of other minorities, will forever be a warning to all people of the dangers of hatred, bigotry, racism and prejudice.”
On this day of remembrance, we pray for the innocent victims, including 1.5 million Ukrainian Jews. We also pay tribute to those who risked their lives—and often the lives of their families—to save those doomed to death.
Among the over 27,000 Righteous Among the Nations, 2,659 Ukrainians have been recognized to date. This is further testimony that the stories of our people are incomplete without each other.
The lists of the Righteous continues to grow with new names as testimonies and scholarly research brings to light those worthy of recognition. We support the call of academics and civil society leaders, as well as the call to Yad Vashem by Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Reuven Azman, to award Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytsky this honorable title.
“This year the world will commemorate the 80th anniversary of Babyn Yar, a tragedy for all the people of Ukraine. Today, we stand together to protect democratic values and condemn all manifestations of anti-Semitism, racism, and hatred at an ethnic, religious, or other level,” stated Paul Grod, UWC President.
The UWC joins the global community to reflect upon the lessons of the Holocaust. We also commemorate the humanity and achievements of all those guided by moral imperatives who became pillars of hope and salvation during one of the darkest periods of history.
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