27 January 2015, 08:00
Dear citizens!
On January 27, Ukraine together with the whole world marks the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, designated by the UN General Assembly resolution. On this very day, soldiers of the First Ukrainian front liberated prisoners of the biggest Nazi death camp "Auschwitz", near Polish city Oswiecim.
On Ukrainian land, hundreds thousands of Jews were killed by the Nazi. At the same time, thousands of Ukrainians risking their lives were saving Jews from being killed in the Babyn Yar and other places of mass shootings. Horror and sufferings that people went through should evoke memory and consciousness of the world politicians in order not to allow spreading ideology based on racial hatred and disrespect to a person.
Unfortunately, we experience this right now when we have to defend our native land from an invader who does not want to acknowledge free will of people of Ukraine and who elevated hatred to everything that is Ukrainian to the level of national ideology.
We have strengthened European identity of Ukraine by showing our devotion to democracy; and in this fight, Jews, Armenians, Russians, and other nations were shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukrainians. Together we will protect our country and build the society where different nations will be comfortable and tolerant.
Bowing our heads in sorrow for millions of innocent victims, I am sure that in the new state of Ukraine, an international dialogue will be conducted on the grounds of European values.