UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd January, 2020) The United Nations will continue to stand up against any kind of bigotry and prejudice in the wake of the rise in discriminatory rhetoric across the world, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday said at the opening of an exhibition to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp in World War II on Tuesday.
"The past few years have seen a frightening upsurge in anti-semitic attacks both in Europe and the United States, part of a troubling increase in xenophobia, homophobia, discrimination and hatred of all kinds," Guterres said. "We will stand firm every day and everywhere against anti-semitism, bigotry and hatred of all kinds."
Guterres emphasized that remembrance and education play a vital role in the efforts to prevent the repetition of such a crime against humanity as was the Holocaust.
"Ignorance creates fertile ground for false narratives and lies," Guterres said during the event jointly organized by Israel and Russia.
Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia reiterated Guterres' concern, but also warned against altering the historical facts regarding World War II.
"Liberators and heroes are often presented as aggressors and invaders, collaborators and traitors are presented as liberators and heroes. Even the causes and chain of events that led the beginning of World War II are being questioned," Nebenizia said.
The Russian ambassador said there is no justification for attempting to re-write history regardless of the reasoning behind them, and Russia strongly condemns such attempts.
The Nazi death camp Auschwitz in Poland was liberated by the Soviet Union on January 27, 1945. Auschwitz was the epicenter of Nazi Germany's project to physically eliminate the Jewish people as well as other minorities. More than one million people died in Auschwitz.
