Statement by Global Citizens on the 85th Anniversary of the Babyn Yar Tragedy

On the 85th anniversary of the Babyn Yar tragedy, Global Citizens honors the memory of the victims of Babyn Yar—one of the Holocaust’s most tragic episodes.

On September 29 and 30, 1941, tens of thousands of Jews were killed in occupied Kyiv. In the years that followed, Babyn Yar remained a site of mass killings of people from a variety of groups targeted by the Nazi regime.

Remembrance of Babyn Yar is an integral part of the collective memory of the Holocaust. It continues to matter for future generations.

Global Citizens honors the memory of those who perished and expresses respect for survivors, their families, and all those who preserve accounts of the events of those years.

Preserving historical truth about Babyn Yar is necessary if we are to understand where antisemitism, racial hatred, intolerance, and the persecution of people on the basis of their origin, religion, or affiliation with a particular community can lead.

On this day of remembrance, Global Citizens again affirms the need to preserve an accurate historical memory, respect the dignity of every person, and prevent attempts to deny or distort the crimes of the Holocaust.

Remembrance of the victims of Babyn Yar is a shared responsibility of states, international organizations, civil society, and future generations.

Such remembrance entails a duty to defend human dignity and to ensure that hatred does not become the norm.