David SASSOLI, EP President, opens the ceremony for the International Holocaust Commemoration Day. Statements by Gyula SÁRKÖZI, representative of the Roma community, and Rabbi Pinchas GOLDSCHMIDT, Chief Rabbi of Moscow.

Brussels

ceremony

situation of Roma people (T)

fight against antisemitism (T)

SASSOLI, David Maria (S&D, IT, S&D, IT)

concert (THS)

musician

Holocaust remembrance (T)

International Holocaust Commemoration Day with the participation of David SASSOLI, EP President: extracts

Title: International Holocaust Commemoration Day with the participation of David SASSOLI, EP President: extracts

Auschwitz concentration camp - illustrative shots (3 shots)

Performance by Gilles Sadowsky, Clarinette, and Hanna Bardos, Voice, in traditional yiddish song (Doyne, Szόl a kakas m&aacute;r) - (3 shots)

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, Questo giornata ci ricorda che 76 anni fa si aprirono i cancelli di Auschwitz-Birkenau, rivelando l&rsquo;orrore del genocidio nazista

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, What happened in that concentration camp and in all the other death factories scattered throughout Europe, gives us a responsibility and imposes on us the obligation to watch over and keep the memory alive.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, Remembering is therefore a duty so that what has happened cannot happen again because each time it places us in front of the darker side of humanity, the total loss of the most basic feeling of compassion.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, And now we must do it almost without the voices of those who lived it: the passage of time means we have to look at these events with the force of reason and without the precious help of those who experienced the devastation, the ferocity, and the ruinous force of the nationalist devil. But we must also remember that those who experienced that horror have left democratic and European institutions in our custody.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, Europe itself was born as a symbol of openness, cooperation, awareness of a common destiny. It was born from a great vision, from a courageous ideal that drew strength from such a huge tragedy as the one caused by the Second World War and the horrific Nazi designs. This is why all of us Europeans must share responsibility for that custody: the custody of democracy and Europe.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, As you know, we are living in a time of great change. In these difficult months we have learned to focus on our values, to understand the meaning of our interdependence.The transformations taking place offer extraordinary opportunities, which we must use to improve the quality of our life, to correct the development of the economy and society to ensure social and environmental sustainability, to reduce distances and inequalities. Today more than ever we must therefore act together and protect our cohesion, that is the context in which entire generations have experienced peace and have been able to build a model which for a long period has allowed well-being, economic growth, social and civil rights.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, Holocaust Remembrance Day is not just an anniversary, above all it is an invitation to show our commitment, vigilance and responsibility.To prevent denial and amnesia, we must all make this commitment to a clear and vigilant historical memory, capable not only of bearing witness but also of understanding, preventing, and intervening whenever the seeds of absolute evil spread. A way to remember but also to honor the sacrifice of those who lost their lives fighting for a better world by defending the values ​​of freedom and justice

SOUNDBITE (English), Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, Chief Rabbi of Moscow, Today, the 27th January, I mourn as a European. I remember the tragedy and the crimes against the entire humanity. The millions of victims and the endless suffering. On this day, we are remembering the Righteous Among the Nations who risked their lives to save some of the persecuted

SOUNDBITE (Hungarian), Gyula S&#225;rk&#246;zi, representative of the Roma community, In 2014, I took part of an initiative of a March for Life and at that time I visitrd Auschwitz and Birkenau.  This is where Mengele and Eichmann tortured thousands of victims.  Barrack number 13 was the Roma barrack.  The sign of the Roma was a black triangle.

SOUNDBITE (Hungarian), Gyula S&#225;rk&#246;zi, representative of the Roma community, Whatever happens to the European Culture, I want to say clearly, Roma want to continue to live in Europe; which is part of our history; We belong here and we want to stay.

David SASSOLI, EP President calls for a Minute of silence (6 shots)

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, 76 years ago, the gates of Auschwitz were open; 76 years later, Europe is very aware of the reponsability and its duty to remember