Between 1933 and 1945, nearly 17 million people tragically lost their lives in the Holocaust, 
a systematic and brutal genocide. Over 6 million of those victims were Jewish men, 
women, and children, making up two-thirds of Europe’s Jewish population. This loss was 
fueled by the intense anti-Semitic propaganda spread by the Nazi regime.

The Holocaust was one of the most devastating human rights crises in history. In 
recognition of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest and deadliest of the Nazi 
concentration camps, on January 27, 1945, the United Nations designated this date as
“International Holocaust Remembrance Day.” In honor of this day, we will soon introduce 
a resolution to recognize January 27, 2026, as “International Holocaust Remembrance 
Day” in Pennsylvania.

Studies have shown that a growing number of Americans lack a basic understanding of 
the Holocaust and the events that led to it. For this reason, International Holocaust 
Remembrance Day is more important than ever. This day is not only a time to remember 
and mourn those who were lost, but also a call to stand against all forms of ethnic and 
religious intolerance, incitement, harassment, hateful rhetoric, and violence against all 
individuals and communities.

We bear a collective responsibility to honor the lives of both the victims and the survivors, 
while continuing to educate and raise awareness about the horrors they endured. It is 
crucial that we ensure such atrocities are never repeated. 

Please join us in co-sponsoring this resolution, which will not only honor the memory of 
Holocaust victims but also reaffirm our unwavering commitment to combating all forms 
of intolerance.