Turkey marks Holocaust Remembrance Day

By Fatih Hafiz Mehmet

ANKARA (AA) – On Friday, Holocaust Remembrance Day, Turkey is commemorating the millions of people who lost their lives during the Nazi Holocaust.

"We commemorate the millions of people who lost their lives during the Holocaust with respect," said the Turkish Foreign Ministry in a statement. "Being aware of its responsibility, Turkey will resolutely continue its fight against anti-Semitism, racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia, which unfortunately have regained ground in today’s world,"

To mark the day, a commemoration ceremony is being held Friday at Ankara University with the participation of Deputy Prime Minister Tugrul Turkes, representatives of Turkey’s Jewish community, and others.

The statement underlined that Europe’s rising racism, extremism, and anti-Semitism before World War II had caused one of the major tragedies of history, the Holocaust.

"Millions of innocent people, primarily Jews, were exterminated in an organized and systematic way by the Nazi regime and its collaborators," the statement added.

"Today, it is our duty to do whatever it takes to avoid the recurrence of the Holocaust, one of the darkest periods of human history. This is a common responsibility for all humanity."

"Since 2008 Turkey has actively participated in the activities of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance as an observer and continues its efforts for the Holocaust not to be forgotten and to pass on the lessons learned to younger generations," it said.

The statement added that in 2005, a UN resolution co-sponsored by Turkey and passed by the UN General Assembly made Jan. 27 International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

"January 27 marks the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Death Camp on that date in 1945, which became one of the symbols of the World War II era," the statement said.