Statement by the President on International Holocaust Remembrance Day

I join people here at home, in Israel, and around the world in commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day, as we mark one of the darkest, most destructive periods in human history.

To remember is a choice, and today we remember the innocent victims of the Nazis’ murderous hate – six million Jews and millions of other people. We are reminded to remain ever-vigilant against the possibility of genocide, and to ensure that ‘Never Again’ is not just a phrase but a principled cause. And we resolve to stand up against prejudice, stereotyping, and violence – including the scourge of anti-Semitism – around the globe.

At the same time, we remember the ordinary people who courageously and heroically expressed the very best of the human capacity for compassion and justice by risking their lives to save their fellow human beings during the Holocaust. They demonstrated that in the midst of evil, human beings can perform remarkable acts of decency and dignity.

Finally, on Holocaust Remembrance Day, we remember the survivors and the profound faith and courage they have embodied to build lives of purpose and meaning. In doing so, they are defying those who tried to kill them, and teaching us that love and life can vanquish hate and death. Let us honor them, and those we lost, by building a more peaceful, just and tolerant world.