The Prime Minister will travel to Poland to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz Birkenau.
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On January 27, 1945, the Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz Birkenau was liberated. As the largest camp of Hitler's regime, it has become one of the most important symbols of the Holocaust - the genocide that killed six million Jews, including one million at Auschwitz Birkenau alone. The Nazis also killed 500,000 Roma and Sinti, and millions more, including ethnic Poles. The persecution, murder and unimaginable inhumanity of the Holocaust marked one of the darkest chapters in our history. Eighty years later, we renew our promise: "Never again." Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced today that he will travel to Poland from January 26 to 28, 2025, to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. He will be joined by Canadian Holocaust survivors, as well as Canada's Special Envoy for Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Anti-Semitism, Deborah Lyons. In Poland, the Prime Minister will attend a memorial event and meet with Holocaust survivors to hear their stories, remember those whose lives were rendered meaningless, and pledge never to waver in the fight against hate and bigotry.
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The Prime Minister will also have bilateral meetings with the President and Prime Minister of Poland, during which he will highlight Canada's commitment to transatlantic security in the face of global instability and uncertainty. He will emphasize the continued importance of supporting peace and freedom in Ukraine, particularly in the context of Canada's G7 presidency in 2025. Prime Minister Trudeau will also discuss Canada's potential contributions to Poland's energy security through deeper cooperation and trade in clean energy, including nuclear.
During his visit, the Prime Minister will meet with international partners to discuss ways to address key geopolitical challenges, including Russia's ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine and developments in the Middle East. He will emphasize the importance of maintaining global unity in protecting peace, democracy and human rights.
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"What happened at the Nazi concentration and extermination camp of Auschwitz Birkenau is a brutal reminder of what happens when we give in to hatred. Eighty years later, we remember the unimaginable horrors that the Holocaust inflicted on millions of Jews, we stand against hatred and anti-Semitism, and we reaffirm our clear commitment to never do it again."
The Right Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
Fast Facts
Last year, in Budget 2024, the Prime Minister announced a $90.5 million package of measures to combat anti-Semitism, preserve the memory of the Holocaust, raise awareness against Holocaust denial and distortion, and about the Holocaust and protect the gathering places of Jewish communities in Canada. The position of Special Envoy for Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Anti-Semitism was created in 2020 as part of the federal government's commitment to strengthen national and international efforts to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and honour the stories of survivors. Irwin Cotler was appointed Canada's first special envoy in November 2020 and was replaced by Deborah Lyons in October 2023. The special envoy works to combat anti-Semitism, hatred and racism, and to promote and protect democracy, pluralism, inclusion and human rights. Canada's commitment to protecting human rights and combating anti-Semitism at home and abroad is anchored in our membership and cooperation with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). As the only international institution mandated to focus on Holocaust issues, the IHRA works to raise awareness of the global impact of anti-Semitism and to seek ways to end it. In 2022, Canada announced that it would double its annual contribution to the IHRA. In October 2024, the Government of Canada published the Canadian Handbook on the IHRA Working Definition of Anti-Semitism. Using Canadian examples, the handbook serves as a tool for identifying and combating anti-Semitism in various sectors. It is notably the first handbook of its kind produced by a national government. In 2022, the federal government amended the Criminal Code of Canada to make it a criminal offence to knowingly promote anti-Semitism by tolerating, denying or minimizing the Holocaust.
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