The peak body of the Aus­trali­an Jewish community is urging all Aus­trali­ans to reflect on racism and its horrific con­sequences on January 27, the day des­ig­nated by the United Nations as the ‘Inter­na­tion­al Day of Com­mem­or­a­tion in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust’.
Grahame Leonard, the President of the Executive Council of Aus­trali­an Jewry said today “The Nazis attempted to murder an entire people men, women and children as a result of an ideology of racial superi­or­ity. After a process of depriva­tion of human rights, dehu­man­isa­tion and contempt, the instru­ments of a modern state were employed for the purposes of sys­tem­at­ic murder.
“As we remember the victims of this unique evil, it is appro­pri­ate to voice our complete rejection of all mani­fest­a­tions of religious and racial prejudice, incite­ment, har­ass­ment and violence against com­munit­ies,” Leonard added.
This is the first annual Inter­na­tion­al Day of Com­mem­or­a­tion in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, which is a result of United Nations General Assembly Res­ol­u­tion 60/7 of 1 November 2005.
Australia was one of the states which proposed the res­ol­u­tion, which estab­lished January 27, the day on which Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp was liberated in 1945, as the date for the inter­na­tion­al com­mem­or­a­tion. The res­ol­u­tion also unequi­voc­ally condemned Holocaust denial.
“Australia1s dip­lo­mat­ic efforts are a tribute to the farsighted bipar­tis­an policies of our major political parties sup­port­ing mul­ti­cul­tur­al­ism and opposing racism. This event is a universal reminder of the dangers of bigotry and hatred,” Leonard concluded.
For further inform­a­tion or to arrange inter­views, contact Grahame Leonard on 0411 462 242.