Premier John Horgan has issued the following statement marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau:

“Today, British Columbians join people around the world to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Beginning at dusk, the ceremonial entrance to the Parliament Buildings, centre fountain, and the Confederation Garden Park waterfall will be illuminated in yellow to invoke the light of the memorial candles.

“On this day, we remember the six million Jews, and millions of other people who were murdered because of their sexual orientation, perceived disability, nationality or political ideology. These were parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, siblings and children who were killed simply for who they were and what they believed.

“We also honour the bravery of survivors whose stories immortalize the human suffering of the Holocaust. To all those whose lives were tragically and irrevocably changed by the Shoah, we vow ‘Never Again’.

“When we say never again, it means teaching younger generations about the atrocities of the past and recognizing the threat that hatred poses to this day. It means standing up and speaking out against anti-Semitism, prejudice and violence wherever it is encountered. And it requires challenging any attempts to distort history and the horrors of the Holocaust.

“As a government, we recommit ourselves to these actions. We will always stand up for human rights and never stop our work to build a more just, safe and inclusive province for everyone.”