International Day of Commemoration of the Victims of the Holocaust

“Stand together against antisemitism!” With this slogan we mark the International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2025 - eight decades since the liberation of Auschwitz. This manifesto represents a response to the rapid spread of antisemitism, including through false claims about the Holocaust, as well as a commitment to the ongoing fight against discrimination and hatred.

In the Republic of Moldova, the Holocaust Remembrance Week is being held between January 27 - February 2. During this period, a series of events will be organized, including in educational institutions and public libraries. Thematic films, round tables, excursions, exhibitions, thematic classes, etc. will be broadcasted in commemoration of those who were exterminated in one of the greatest atrocities in the history of the 20th century.

Also, during the week, the House of Nationalities will present to the public the European Rabbis during the Holocaust photo exhibition. The exhibited materials reflect the stories of 12 religious and spiritual leaders of Jewish communities from the Republic of Moldova, Romania, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine and other countries, who represent a model of courage, morality and universal spiritual values.

Through these actions, the Republic of Moldova intends to strengthen national policies on promoting tolerance and combating all forms of discrimination, as well as to contribute to social cohesion, by committing to undertake social and educational actions to study the Holocaust and organize events commemorating the victims of this historical tragedy. 

Moreover, President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu is participating today in the ceremony dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp. The event brings together over 30 world leaders at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum, located on the site of the former Nazi camp in the Polish city of Oświęcim.

In Chisinau, this day was marked by an event commemorating the victims of the Holocaust, attended by Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu and other officials.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day has been observed since 2005, at the initiative of the United Nations. According to historical data, on January 27, 1945, Allied forces liberated the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp, where it is estimated that over 1.1 million people were exterminated.

The Republic of Moldova has been marking this day since 2015. According to the final report of the International Commission for the Study of the Holocaust, in 1941, there were 49 concentration camps and ghettos on the current territory of the Republic of Moldova, and 189 in the region on the left bank of the Dniester River. Over 200 thousand Jews were killed, including as a result of deportations to this region, and at least 10 thousand Roma were tortured or shot.