Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset made the following statement to mark European Roma Holocaust Memorial Day on 2 August:
"On the night of 2-3 August 1944, more than 3 000 Roma men, women and children were murdered at Auschwitz-Birkenau. This atrocity marked one of the darkest chapters of the Roma Holocaust, in which up to 500 000 Roma were persecuted and killed by the Nazi regime.
This year also marks the 10th anniversary since 2 August was officially recognised as European Roma Holocaust Memorial Day. This long-overdue recognition was a crucial step toward acknowledging the suffering of Roma communities and confronting decades of silence and denial.
Today, we honour the victims and reaffirm our commitment to remembrance, truth and justice.
Through initiatives like the "RomaMemory" joint EU/CoE programme and our Strategic Action Plan for Roma and Traveller Inclusion, the Council of Europe continues to promote education, awareness and inclusion.
But remembrance must lead to action. Anti-Roma racism remains a deeply rooted and persistent form of racism in Europe. We must confront it - by strengthening protections against hate speech and hate crime, by fostering inclusive education, and by supporting Roma communities in claiming their rights and dignity.
As we mark this sombre anniversary, let us confront the rise of hate speech, racism and the growing disregard for the international legal order forged after the Second World War and the Holocaust.
To honour the Roma victims is to defend truth over denial, dignity over dehumanisation and justice over impunity.
This is what we stand for - and this is what Europe needs".
Roma Holocaust Day statement by Parliamentary Assembly rapporteur
