Museum Denounces Iranian Government’s Exploitation of International Holocaust Remembrance Day

January 28, 2016

WASHINGTON, DC—The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum strongly denounces the effort by Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to violate the memory of the victims of the Holocaust by distributing a video denying the truth of the genocide of European Jewry on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. 

“Holocaust denial is antisemitism, and the Holocaust is the ultimate example of the dangers of unchecked antisemitism,” said Museum Director Sara J. Bloomfield. “Holocaust denial by Iran’s supreme leader reflects a long-standing pattern of senior Iranian government officials denying the Holocaust and threatening the existence of Israel. It represents a grave threat, and we call on world leaders to join us in condemning these remarks.”

International Holocaust Remembrance Day was established in 2005 by the United Nations (external link) as a time for people around the globe to reflect on the murder of six million Jews by Nazi Germany and its collaborators and its meaning for us today. It is observed annually on January 27, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau by Soviet forces. 

A living memorial to the Holocaust, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum inspires citizens and leaders worldwide to confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity. Its far-reaching educational programs and global impact are made possible by generous donors.

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