Joint Statement with the USC Shoah Foundation

The USC Shoah Foundation, in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Austria, the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands released a joint statement in observance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

As we participate in this year’s observance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 2026 theme of “Holocaust Remembrance for Dignity and Human Rights,” the critical need to preserve and promote the lessons shared by Holocaust survivors and their families could not be more obvious. In an era of increased distortion and denial of the Holocaust, when its very history is challenged, and when institutions established after the Holocaust with the aim to bear witness and to prevent a repetition of such atrocities are called increasingly into question, it is essential that we remember the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators in order to build a world where “never again” becomes a reality. 

The voices and stories of Holocaust survivors are critical in ensuring that the lessons of the Holocaust continue to be heard while demonstrating their relevance for the world we live in today. Millions of pages in archives and tens of thousands of testimonies help ensure that the truth of this history can resonate for generations to come. But it is upon all of us to speak up and challenge narratives that may lead to the acceptance of antisemitism and dehumanization, extremist ideologies and the undermining of human rights and democratic norms. We stand ready to meet this moment in memory of the victims and in solidarity with the survivors and their families to make sure that the lessons of the Holocaust will never be forgotten.

Link to original post on the USC Shoah Foundation’s website.

Photo: The Shoah Wall of Names Memorial in Vienna