“The Holocaust against the Roma and Sinti and Present Day Racism in Europe”

Ambassador Sørensen,
Ambassador Vierita,
Ambassador Raz Shechter,
Mr. Rose,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to be with you today for the opening of the exhibition “The Holocaust against the Roma and Sinti and Present Day Racism in Europe”. This collection of testimonies sheds light on the indescribable suffering caused by the pursuit of “racial purity” and absolute conformity.

While the murder of six million Jews lies at the heart of the Holocaust, the Second World War also saw the mass killing of some 500,000 Roma and Sinti in Europe. Deemed “racial enemies” like Jews, Roma and Sinti were also killed, worked to death and gassed in extermination camps. The end of the Second World War stopped the killings, but it would be decades before many acknowledged the wartime suffering of the Roma and Sinti.

Allow me to thank the Permanent Delegation of the European Union for its dedication to the commemoration of the Holocaust. I would also like to thank the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma and the Holocaust Remembrance Alliance for their tireless efforts on behalf of Holocaust survivors and in the struggle against racism and discrimination.

Why do we commemorate tragedy? What spurs us to remember events 70 years in the past? We do so to honour the memory of victims and seek healing. We do so knowing that only those who know and accept the past may understand the present. But memory also serves another purpose. Thinking of this, I am reminded of the Hebrew word zakhor, an injunction commonly translated as “remember” that frequently appears in the Torah. Scholars, however, argue that zakhor means more than just remembering, it also implies taking action. In other words, memory is both a call to honour the past and to take action to shape the future and prevent history from repeating itself.

Today, the Roma and Sinti remain Europe’s largest minority, often discriminated against, vulnerable and living in substandard conditions. They are still victims of racism and stereotyping, with too many politicians contributing to – and allowing – this dehumanizing rhetoric. This worrying trend is part of the wider revival of racism and populism in many European countries. Still, there is reason for hope. Millions of people across Europe and the world are pushing back on xenophobic and racist language. Remembering the lessons of the past, these individuals are taking action and showing extraordinary solidarity and compassion. While we all have the moral duty to help vulnerable refugees and migrants seeking a better life, let us not lose sight of some of Europe’s most vulnerable minorities: the Roma and Sinti.

Thank you. I hope to see you all at the official commemoration ceremony of the Holocaust in the Assembly Hall at 5:00p.m. today.