2 August 2024
Helena Dalli
European Commissioner for Equality
Video statement on the occasion of 2 August 2024, Holocaust Memorial Day for Sinti and Roma
Today, we mark the 80th anniversary of the tragic events that unfolded at Auschwitz-Birkenau on 2 August 1944.
On that day, over 4,300 Sinti and Roma children, women and men were brutally murdered.
During Europe’s darkest years, up to 500,000 Roma and Sinti were exterminated, and their history and culture silenced with them.
80 years later, we have the duty to remember and to honour their legacy in our fight for justice and equality.
Today, Roma and Sinti, Europe’s largest ethnic minorities, still face indifference about historic crimes and injustice committed against them.
Prejudice, exclusion, antigypsyism and marginalisation persist.
That is why the European Commission is working closely with Member States and civil society to advance equality, inclusion and participation for Roma people in all spheres of life.
Through our EU Roma Strategic Framework, we support Member States in implementing national strategies to create the conditions for equal access:
– to quality and inclusive education,
– to housing, healthcare, essential services, and
– to job opportunities.
Eradicating antigypsyism remains at the core of all these efforts. By standing together, united against hatred, we can build resilient communities that thrive through the strength of our diversity.
On this Memorial Day, I stand in solidarity with all Roma and Sinti, and I reaffirm the commitment of the European Commission to a world where human dignity is upheld, diversity is celebrated and hatred has no place.
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