2 August 2024
Markéta Pekarová Adamová
Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic
Video statement on the occasion of 2 August 2024, Holocaust Memorial Day for Sinti and Roma
Honorable survivors, distinguished guests, dear friends and colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,
Today, we commemorate Roma Holocaust Memorial Day around the world.
Exactly 80 years have passed since the tragic night of 2nd to 3rd August of 1944. On that day, the Nazis murdered up to 4 300 Roma men, women, and children in the gas chambers of the infamous concentration camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau. Countless others were persecuted and brutally tortured by the Nazi regime solely because of their ethnicity. Their suffering and resilience stand as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of hatred and bigotry.
It is our moral duty not to forget these horrific events. Therefore, we commemorate the legacy of all the victims. It is also a way to prevent the repetition of such unspeakable atrocities in the future.
We must remain vigilant, educating future generations about those atrocities and the importance of tolerance and human dignity.
Never again should we allow prejudice and discrimination to go unchecked. Never again should we stand silent in the face of injustice and hatred. We must always remember the lessons of the past and never ever forget them.
May the memories of the victims inspire us to build a world where every person, regardless of their background, can live in peace, safety, and dignity. Let us honor their legacy by striving for justice, compassion, and unity.
Thank you very much for your kind attention.
Statements 2024
António Guterres
United Nations Secretary-General
Helena Dalli
European Commissioner for Equality
Volker Türk
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Ellen Germain
Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, U.S. Department of State
Michael O’Flaherty
Council-of-Europe-Commissioner-for-Human-Rights-
Terry Reintke
Co-president of the Greens in the European Parliament
Mehmet Daimagüler
Federal Government Commissioner against Antigypsyism
Cecilia Woloch
American Poet
Ruslan Stefanchuk
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
Markéta Pekarová Adamová
Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic
Christian Mihr
Deputy Secretary General /
Managing Director Human Rights Impact
Annita Demetriou
H.E. The President of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus
Peter De Roover
President of the Belgian House of Representatives
Janine Wissler
Chairwoman of DIE LINKE
Florian Herrmann
Head of the State Chancellery Bavaria/Minister of State for Federal Affairs and Media
Saskia Esken
Member of the Bundestag, Co-leader of SPD
Christian Lindner
Member of the Bundestag, Federal Minister of Finance
Friedrich Merz
Member of the Bundestag, Leader of CDU