Prime Minister to travel to Poland to mark the 80 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp

OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 22, 2025 /CNW/ - On January 27, 1945, Allied forces liberated the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp. As the largest camp under Hitler's regime, it became one of the most important symbols of the Holocaust ? the genocide that killed six million Jews, with one million murdered in Auschwitz-Birkenau alone. The Nazis also killed 500,000 Roma and Sinti, and millions of others, including ethnic Poles. The persecution, murder, and unimaginable inhumanity of the Holocaust marked one of the darkest chapters in our history. Eighty years later, let us renew the vow: 'Never again'.

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that he will travel to Poland, from January 26 to 28, 2025, to mark 80 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp. He will be accompanied by Canadian Holocaust survivors as well as Canada's Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, Deborah Lyons.

In Poland, the Prime Minister will attend a commemorative event and meet with Holocaust survivors to hear their stories, remember those whose lives were senselessly taken, and pledge to never waver in standing up to antisemitism, hatred, and bigotry. The Prime Minister will also hold bilateral meetings with the President and the Prime Minister of Poland, where he will emphasize Canada's commitment to transatlantic security in the face of global instability and uncertainty. He will underscore the continued importance of support for peace and freedom in Ukraine, including in the context of Canada's 2025 G7 Presidency. Prime Minister Trudeau will also discuss Canada's potential contributions to Poland's energy security through deepened co-operation and trade in clean energy, including nuclear.

Throughout 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 the evolving situation in the Middle East. He will emphasize the importance of maintaining global unity in the defence of peace, democracy, and human rights.

Quote

"What happened at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp is a stark reminder of what happens when we give way to hate. Eighty years later, we remember the unimaginable horrors that the Holocaust inflicted on millions of Jewish people, we fight against hate and antisemitism, and we reaffirm our unequivocal pledge of 'Never again'."

? The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

Quick Facts

• Last year, in Budget 2024, the Prime Minister announced a $90.5 million package of measures to combat antisemitism, preserve Holocaust remembrance, educate against Holocaust denial and distortion, and protect gathering spaces for Jewish communities in Canada.
• The position of Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism was created in 2020 as part of the federal government's commitment to strengthening 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 succeeded by Deborah Lyons in October 2023. The Special Envoy works to combat antisemitism, hatred, and racism, while promoting and defending democracy, pluralism, inclusion, and human rights.
• Canada's commitment to protecting human rights and combatting antisemitism at home and abroad is anchored in our membership in and work with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). As the only international institution mandated to focus on issues related to the Holocaust, the IHRA works to raise awareness of the global impact of antisemitism and seeks ways to end it. In 2022, Canada announced it would double its annual contribution to the IHRA.
• In October 2024, the Government of Canada released the Canadian Handbook on the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism. Using Canadian examples, the Handbook serves as a tool to identify and address antisemitism across various sectors. Notably, it is the first such handbook produced by a national government.
• In 2022, the federal government amended Canada's Criminal Code to make it a crime to willfully promote antisemitism by condoning, denying, or downplaying the Holocaust.

Associated Links

• Canada-Poland relations
• Preserving Holocaust remembrance and creating safer communities
• International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance
• Canadian Handbook on the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism 

This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca

SOURCE Prime Minister's Office