Witness
wit·ness verb 1 : to testify to 2 : to act as legal witness of 3 : to furnish proof of
“For the survivor who chooses to testify, it is clear: his duty is to bear witness for the dead and for the living. He has no right to deprive future generations of a past that belongs to our collective memory. To forget would be not only dangerous but offensive; to forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time.”
― Elie Wiesel
Held annually on January 27th, anniversary of the Auschwitz concentration camp’s liberation from the Red Army, International Holocaust Remembrance Day honors victims of the Holocaust. Six million Jewish people, along with countless members of other minorities, were killed by Nazi Germany between 1933 and 1945. The day was designated by United Nations General Assembly in 2005.
Opportunities to bear witness:
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum - Learn, visit, support
Adjacent to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is the U.S. official memorial to the Holocaust providing for the documentation, study, and interpretation of Holocaust history.
Anti-Defamation League - Learn, support
Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all.
Genocide Watch - Learn, support
Genocide Watch exists to predict, prevent, stop, and punish genocide and other forms of mass murder. The organization seeks to raise awareness and influence public policy concerning potential and actual genocide.