Deputy Ambassador Brown marks International Holocaust Remembrance
Day and condemns Holocaust denial and distortion.
"Thank you Ambassador Gras, for your introductory comments and
Croatia’s work as President of the International Holocaust
Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).
Last week we marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day,
remembering and honouring the 6 million Jewish people, Roma,
disabled, gay men, political opponents and Jehovah’s Witnesses
who were murdered. All murdered for who they were and what
they believed.
The Holocaust was one of the darkest moments in human
history. Tragically, recent events have underlined its
continued relevance today. Israel was founded in the shadow of
the Holocaust as a place of sanctuary for the Jewish people. And
as we have seen the ugly face of antisemitism resurface, with an
unprecedented surge in hate crime globally since the barbaric
attacks on the 7th of October. Shamefully, this was also the case
in the United Kingdom.
The UK will succeed Croatia as President of the International
Holocaust Remembrance Alliance later this year, convening
meetings in Glasgow in June and in London in December. During our
Presidency we will mark the 85th anniversary of the first
Kindertransport, the rescue of almost ten thousand Jewish
children. Children who became Nobel prize winners, members of our
legislatures and - in the UK - include the midwife who first held
the future King Charles the Third.
We will soon reach a point where the march of time means that the
Holocaust will no longer be part of our living history. With
that comes a growing concern about the rise of Holocaust denial
and distortion – recasting history to erase the devastating
horrors faced by the Jewish people and others.
Our Presidency therefore aims to help children understand that
the Holocaust did not happen in secret, hidden away in the dark
corner, beyond most citizens’ gaze. We want to shine a spotlight
on the circumstances that led up to the Holocaust and the nature
of society that allowed it to happen in plain sight.
Alongside this, we will prioritise tackling the continued rise of
Holocaust distortion. We have a duty to protect the facts,
fighting back against attempts to minimise or erase the
devastation endured by the Jewish people. As IHRA Presidency
and working with the OSCE, the UK will therefore convene AI,
social media and other experts to discuss Holocaust distortion,
including risks from deep fake technology and online
disinformation.
Today is above all a day for remembering. We remember all
those who were murdered. And as we remember them, I
reiterate the UK’s commitment to continuing that remembrance
among future generations and to combating antisemitism
domestically and across the OSCE region.
Thank you Chair."
