The world’s largest Roma Genocide Remembrance Event “Dik I na Bistar/look and
don’t forget” took place today in Memorial – Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau, with
more than 400 young people from 20 countries. The big number of participants at
the youth commemoration at the Memorial of the formal so called “Gypsy camp”,
underlines the growing Roma movement fight´s against prejudices and stereotypes
and for the recognition of the 2nd August as a Roma Remembrance day.
Mr. Zoni Weisz, survivor of the Romani Holocaust reminded all participants of
the hardship that Roma needed to go through while imprisoned in Birkenau “On
this beautiful, sunny day, we cannot imagine how it was for our people in the
barracks seventy years ago.” Zoni Weisz escaped the deportation of his family to
Auschwitz in May 1944. “Today, we are standing on the very ground, where so many
of our loved ones were murdered. We still cannot comprehend what it means!” said
the Holocaust witness. He shared his experiences during all four days of the
event with young Roma and non-Roma.
The ceremony was very moving and full of emotions. Beside the young Roma and
non-Roma oral´s contribution, the Head of the Roma Unit of the European
Commission (DG Justice) Lina Papamichalopolou exchanged warm and supporting
words addressed to Roma people, also to those facing the discrimination and
hatred in today’s Europe.
After visiting the Auschwitz museum in the morning, young people moved to
Auschwitz-Birkenau to commemorate victims of the night of the 2nd August 1944
when 2 897 Roma from “Gypsy camp” were murdered in the gas chambers. “We are
here once again to learn what happened in the past, but not only to learn, but
to not forget”. With those words Emran Elmazi from Amaro Drom, ternYpe member
from Germany started the ceremony.
Knowledge and official recognition of the extermination of Sinti and Roma
during the Second World War is still very limited, especially among young
Europeans including the Roma. This is why ternYpe International Roma Youth
Network organizes the world’s largest Roma Genocide Remembrance Initiative in
Krakow and Auschwitz from July 30th until August 4th, 2013. The initiative got
high level support with a patronage from Martin Schulz, President of the
European Parliament and from the Polish Government. The Council of Europe and
OSCE-ODHIR are amongst the donors.
The aim and strong vision of this event is to empower young Roma and non-Roma
to have a voice, to be key actors for change and to promote 2nd of August as
Roma Genocide Remembrance Day, (besides Holocaust Remembrance Day on 27th
January). Details:
www.2august.eu.
