In her speech at a Muslim-Jewish joint commemoration held at the Srebrenica massacre memorial center, Dunja Mijatovic, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe emphasized: the commitment to promoting partnerships and meaningful dialogue is a powerful testament to the strength found in unity.

“The joint observance of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day by Muslims and Jews is a ray of hope in a time when division often seems insurmountable,” she stated. She drew attention to the alarming extent of violence, hate speech, discrimination, and incitement to hatred based on religion or belief. Mosques, synagogues, and other religious sites, as well as private homes of people from different denominations, are being attacked and vandalized.

The increase in anti-Muslim and anti-Semitic incidents throughout Europe reminds us of the dark past and serves as a warning, she highlighted. These acts are contrary to the principles of pluralism, respect, and openness, she reminded.

“We must not forget that it is our duty to take a firm stand against hate speech, incitement to religious violence, and discrimination,” the Commissioner for Human Rights continued, “it is our collective responsibility to create conditions that facilitate the remembrance of past genocides’ victims, as well as the fight against all forms of anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim hatred, and ethnic or religious intolerance.”

The UN General Assembly declared January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day in 2005. On this day in 1945, the Soviet army liberated Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp, located in what is now Poland, where the Nazis murdered over one million people, including more than 400,000 Hungarians.

Source: MTI