‘We have a duty to stand against intolerance’: UN human rights chief

This article is published in association with United Nations.

On this day, 80 years ago, some 7,000 prisoners who had been left to starve in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camps were liberated by allied soldiers.

Marking Holocaust Remembrance Day on Monday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said the essence of commemorations was to acknowledge the past but they “must also examine the present and look to the future”.

‘Hateful rhetoric’ reverberating

Underlying the rise of hateful rhetoric, with rising antisemitism on the streets and online, the UN rights chief said that “discrimination and dehumanisation are winning out over solidarity and compassion; diversity is viewed as a threat rather than something to be treasured; and many leaders are undermining and weakening the rule of law”.

Reminding us that everyone has a “duty to stand against intolerance”, Mr. Türk shared his fear the world is “sleepwalking into a grim future where human rights and dignity are denied, stripped away or forgotten”.

Listen back to the story of Eva Lavi, the youngest survivor to be saved from the Nazis by the German industrialist Oskar Schindler: 

Call to condemn antisemitism

In a powerful video-message, Mr. Türk urged the global community to remain vigilant in the face of rising intolerance and discrimination. The call comes as a reminder of the horrors of the Holocaust and the lessons it teaches.

Echoing the words of Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, who famously said, “silence encourages the tormentor,” he emphasized the importance of speaking out against all forms of hatred, particularly antisemitism.

“We must condemn it in all its forms, alongside bigotry, intolerance, and hatred,” Mr. Türk advocated, urging people to take action.

Education is key

The central theme of this year’s Holocaust Remembrance is the ongoing battle for dignity and human rights.

In a call to expose disinformation and resist efforts to foster division, hatred and fear, Mr. Türk said that diversity must be celebrated, and Holocaust stories must be retold as a crucial safeguard against prejudice and racism.

“Holocaust education remains one of the best vaccines against dehumanization,” he added, calling for a just and dignified future for all.

Soundcloud

https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/975392194&visual=&auto_play=false&hide_related=true&show_artwork=true&show_playcount=false&show_comments=false&show_user=false&show_reposts=false&download=false&buying=false&sharing=false&show_teaser=false&single_active=true&color=%23ff5500

Ceremony at UN Headquarters

On Monday, the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, is due to deliver remarks to the General Assembly, at the annual ceremony of remembrance at UN Headquarters.

The ceremony is scheduled to start at 11 AM New York time and will honour the victims, also paying tribute to the dwindling band of survivors, some of whom will share their testimonies along with invited speakers.

You can follow live here.