Courtesy image.
COCONINO COUNTY — At their first meeting of the new year the Coconino County Board of Supervisors (Board) took time to acknowledge the upcoming International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27, 2023 and unanimously approved a first-of-its-kind proclamation to recognize and honor the memories of victims and survivors and bring awareness to the historic atrocity of the Holocaust to successive generations.
The proclamation also reiterates the Board and County’s commitment to reject any form of Holocaust denial, to counter racist and bigoted propaganda, to condemn any advocacy of racial supremacy, and resolve that never again shall such an atrocity be perpetrated upon humanity.
“Our strength is in our diversity, and we must continue our commitment to uphold the human dignity and rights of all. Failing to uphold the rights of others and failing to learn from these atrocities, means we run the risk of repeating the past. We honor the memories of the victims and survivors by committing to never again repeat these atrocities,” added Chair of the Board Patrice Horstman.
The proclamation further affirms the Board’s desire to celebrate and honor the Holocaust survivors who have overcome horrific injustices with remarkable courage, hope, and determination. They are all an inspiration to countless members of our community. As fewer and fewer Holocaust survivors remain with each passing year, we commit to honor their memory and their experiences during one of the darkest chapters of human history.
The full text of the proclamation is available online. International Holocaust Remembrance Day is commemorated on the anniversary of the liberation of prisoners from the Auschwitz-Birkenau Death Camp on January 27, 1945.