The Holocaust was one of the most tragic and darkest episodes in the history of humanity, Chamber of Deputies speaker Ciprian Serban and Senate president Ilie Bolojan, said on Monday at the ceremony dedicated to the International Holocaust Remembrance Day organized at the Bucharest Choral Temple.
"Today, we are together to pay homage to those who were victims of the Holocaust and the anti-Jewish Bucharest Pogrom of 1941 carried out by the Iron Guard. The duty to keep in our hearts and souls those who suffered in this huge historical tragedy brings us to this symbolic event. We are welcomed by the Choral Temple, an emblematic edifice and a center of Jewish life in Romania. Today's ceremony is not just a moment of commemoration. It is a call for awareness, responsibility and action for the present and the future. The Holocaust was one of the darkest episodes in human history. The Pogrom of January 1941 remains a painful page of Romanian history," said Ciprian Serban.
He emphasized that the memory of these events compels to deep reflection.
"We must ensure that such tragedies will never happen again. By marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we reaffirm our responsibility not to forget the horrors of the past. We must combat all forms of intolerance and promote the fundamental values of democracy. As a representative of the Romanian Parliament, I emphasize the importance of legislative support for initiatives that combat anti-Semitism, xenophobia and incitement to hatred. Since the adoption of the final report of the Elie Wiesel Commission, Romania has taken important steps forward. We have become a regional model in the fight against antisemitism," said the speaker of the Chamber of Deputies.
He further pointed out that "the gap between pluralist discourse and everyday reality" must be acknowledged.
"In a world where disinformation is spreading rapidly on social networks, democratic values are under threat. Antisemitism, xenophobia and other forms of hatred are still present, and combating them is a joint duty. (...) During the interwar period, the Jews in Romania made a significant contribution to the development of our country," added Ciprian Serban.
The message of the president of the Senate, Ilie Bolojan, was presented at the event by the Deputy Speaker of the Upper House of Parliament Mircea Abrudean.
"We are here today to commemorate one of the most tragic pages in the history of humanity - the Holocaust. It is a time for deep reflection, an opportunity to remember not only the suffering endured by the victims of this barbaric act and our obligation to prevent such tragedies from ever happening again, an attack not only on human lives, but also on humanity itself, on the fundamental values that underpin any democratic society. (...) It is our duty to honor their memory by remembering that these people are not just a statistic, but part of the fiber of our humanity. Today, before the memory of the victims, we must reaffirm our firm commitment to tolerance and respect, but above all our commitment never to forget. It is our duty to ensure that future generations learn the painful lessons of the past and understand the devastating consequences of hatred, intolerance and indifference," reads the Senate president's message.
He emphasized that "silence and inaction can become accomplices of evil". "Romania, as part of the international community, has taken important steps in recognizing and coming to terms with the past. But our efforts must not stop here. Through education, memorialization and the promotion of democratic values, we have a responsibility to keep alive the memory of the victims and to build a future based on solidarity and respect. Holocaust remembrance is also a call to awareness, to oppose all forms of discrimination, hatred or injustice that still exist in our society. To be vigilant, to be united, to be humane. Distinguished audience, today we are not only commemorating the past. Today we look to the future, inspired by the hard lessons of history. It is our moral duty to those who have suffered and to the generations to come. Let us never forget! Let us never allow hatred to find a place in our societies," Ilie Bolojan also said. AGERPRES