Teaching about and commemorating the genocide of the Roma and Sinti is crucial to addressing the prejudice, hate speech, and hate crimes that continue to afflict our societies, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said on Roma Genocide Remembrance Day.
"By honouring the victims and preserving their stories, we help to ensure their human suffering is recognized and becomes an intrinsic part of public memory," said ODIHR Director Maria Telalian. "But commemoration goes beyond remembrance - it is also vital to prevent and combat the prejudices against Roma and Sinti that continue today."
The persecution of Roma and Sinti in Nazi-occupied Europe is a dark chapter in human history, and it is estimated that up to 500,000 Roma and Sinti lost their lives during the Holocaust. On 2 August 1944, the Nazis begin liquidating the camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau in which Roma prisoners were held, killing more than 4,000 on that one day. Today, ODIHR will join representatives of international organizations, Roma and pro-Roma civil society at the former Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Oswiecim, Poland, to honour their memory.
All OSCE participating States have pledged to promote remembrance and education about this atrocity. States have also recognized "the particular difficulties faced by Roma and Sinti" in the OSCE area and beyond.
ODIHR continues to support countries across the region in addressing hatred and discrimination of Roma, working with governments, civil society, and Roma communities to increase their participation in political and public life. As part of its regular engagement with OSCE states, ODIHR publishes a biennial report on Holocaust memorial activities, containing an overview of remembrance and education in the OSCE region. The next edition will be published in early 2026.
