International day dedicated to the memory of holocaust victims, the remembrance of genocides and the prevention of crimes against humanity (27 January 2026)

On this international day dedicated to the memory of Holocaust victims, the remembrance of genocides and the prevention of crimes against humanity, France remembers the atrocities perpetrated by the Nazi regime and its collaborators, honours the memory of Holocaust victims and survivors, and reaffirms its total commitment to the preservation and transmission of memory.

On 27 January 1945, the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp was liberated and the world discovered the genocidal machine deployed by the Nazis that led to the systematic extermination of nearly six million Jews and hundreds of thousands of Romas, resistance fighters, disabled people, homosexuals and political opponents.

As the last witnesses to the Holocaust disappear, France reaffirms the need to preserve and transmit this history and to combat Holocaust denial and all forms of distorted memory.

To this end, in 2027 France will chair the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), an intergovernmental organization bringing together governments and experts to strengthen and promote education, the work of remembrance, and research on the Holocaust and the Roma genocide.

In 2026 France will also welcome all the special envoys responsible for the return of property stolen during the Nazi period.

Holocaust remembrance is not solely a tribute paid to the victims, but also a bulwark against oblivion, indifference and hate.

In the name of defending universal, inalienable and indivisible human rights, France combats all forms of discrimination, anti-Semitism, racism and hate speech.

Faced with an upsurge in anti-Semitic and revisionist discourse and actions, France continues to strengthen its national policies aimed at preventing and combating anti-Semitism, including in the digital space.

Our country remains one of the leading proponents of this commitment within the European Union, actively supporting the EU Strategy on combating anti-Semitism and fostering Jewish life.

Our foreign policy continues to campaign against anti-Semitism in all the regional and international organizations on which France holds a seat.

The memory of the Holocaust is our shared memory.