During the Holocaust, an unprecedented atrocity in the history of humankind, millions of innocent people were exterminated in incomprehensible ways in the middle of Europe.

The Holocaust profoundly affects not only its victims but the whole humanity in terms of strikingly revealing the extent to what humankind can do evil to his own race, to its own once bogged down in racism and discrimination.

It is a duty for humankind to remember and commemorate the crimes against humanity, the Holocaust in particular, as well as to prevent their reoccurrence through educating the next generations. Treating human life as the most sacred value, Turkey will continue to take necessary steps to prevent the reoccurrence of such crimes.

Holding the Holocaust commemoration ceremonies in the capital Ankara, in the last two years, instead of Istanbul where they had been previously held since 2011, is a manifestation of Turkey’s stance and attitude on this issue. I congratulate Ankara University, the host of this ceremony, on this occasion.

I respectfully commemorate once again the millions of innocent Jews who lost their lives during Holocaust together with all the nations of the world.