UN and Embassy of Israel Honour Victims of the Holocaust in Ashgabat Ceremony

The event, held at the UN Building in Ashgabat, forms part of the global observance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, annually marked on 27 January, the day when Auschwitz was liberated in 1945. The ceremony underscored the international community’s responsibility to remember the victims of the Holocaust and reaffirm collective commitment to human rights, dignity, and peace.

The programme opened with lighting of a memorial candle in memory of the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, followed by a minute of silence.

Opening the ceremony, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan, Mr. Dmitry Shlapachenko, emphasized that remembrance is not only about the past, but also a call to action today.

He highlighted this year’s global theme, “Holocaust Remembrance for Dignity and Human Rights”, stressing that preserving the historical truth of the Holocaust is essential in confronting antisemitism, denial, hate speech, and discrimination in all its forms.

He noted that the UN system globally has strengthened its efforts, including through the United Nations Action Plan to Enhance Monitoring and Response to Antisemitism, and reiterated the UN’s commitment in Turkmenistan to promoting education, respectful dialogue, and tolerance.

The ceremony featured messages from members of the diplomatic community, including:

• Mr. Andrew Berdy, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of the United States;
• Mr. Bernd Heinze, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany;
• Mr. Ismail Khaldi, Ambassador of the State of Israel , who delivered concluding remarks.

In his remarks, Ambassador Khaldi underscored the importance of preserving historical truth, honouring the victims as individuals with “a name, a story, a future,” and ensuring that such atrocities never happen again.

The United Nations Resident Coordinator concluded that remembrance must be paired with commitment: “Each generation carries the responsibility to reject hatred, protect human dignity, and defend universal human rights. Our shared duty is to remember—today and every day.”