United Nations Radio

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called for the rejection of false claims by people who say that the Holocaust never happened, or has been exaggerated.

His remarks were made at a special commemoration of the first-ever Holocaust Memorial Day. In a video message, Mr. Annan said such denials were the work of bigots, and he stressed the importance of remembering millions of innocent Jews and members of other minorities who were murdered by the Nazis during the Second World War.

"Remembering is also a safeguard for the future. The abyss reached in the Nazi death camps started with hatred, prejudice and anti-Semitism. Recalling these origins can remind us to be ever on the lookout for warning signs."

At the ceremony on Friday, several speakers recalled the horrors of the Holocaust and the importance of remembering this tragic event in history. They included the Israeli ambassador to the UN, Dan Gillerman, who made this solemn vow.

"I vow to you that as long as there is an Israel, no Jew will again be made to wear a yellow star or be tattooed with a number. And I vow to you that there will forever be an Israel, so these horrors will never be witnessed again - Never Again!"

Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Dan Gillerman.