ROME - The Community of Sant’Egidio in Rome on Wednesday will take part in the day of remembrance for the 76th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birknenau.

  Birkenau was the death camp at Auschwitz and saw the murder of over a million Jews. It was liberated by allied forces on the Jan. 27, 1945.

  The community of Sant’Egidio have released a statement in which they spoke of the prevalence of antisemitism and nationalism throughout Europe, calling for education of the youth.

  The statements calls “institutions and citizens to vigilance in the face of the growth of antisemitism and racism, accompanied so often by acts of violence and discrimination. The establishment of nationalist and xenophobic movements throughout Italy and Europe must strike concern and fear, especially in the world of the young.”

  It continues, “the tragedy of the pandemic has also reminded us of the common destiny of humanity, beyond national, ethnic or religious differences that in the past, though still today, have been exploited by fearmongers… Continuing to reflect on the history of antisemitism and racism helps to face with awareness the challenges of a changing world, with a gaze capable of imagining a different tomorrow, putting at the forefront the aspirations and dignity of one great human family.”

  The UN, UNESCO and the Internation Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) are also collaborating for an international commemoration, with speeched from UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Angela Merkel and the IHRA chair Ambassador Michaela Küchler. These speeches will be followed by an online panel discussion on Holocaust denial and distortion.

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