This message is sent on behalf of Don Lovisa, President, Durham College. 

Tomorrow, Durham College (DC) joins organizations and individuals around the world to mark the anniversary of the 1945 liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. This day serves as a solemn reminder of the atrocities committed during one of the darkest periods in history. 

Nearly 80 years later, antisemitism continues, resulting in hate and violence that has no place in Canadian society. As we remember the six million Jewish Holocaust victims and millions of other victims of Nazi persecution, we can learn from the past and acknowledge the ongoing battles different communities continue to face against prejudice and hatred.  

I encourage you to stand together with the DC community against acts of antisemitism and all forms of prejudice and hate in all of its manifestations. We must ensure that the values of respect, tolerance, and understanding are extended to everyone and that we continue to work together to create a safe and inclusive society for members of the Jewish community and all communities, today and every day. 

The following resources are available to learn more:  

• Durham College Library: Holocaust documentary film collection 
• Durham College Library: After Auschwitz: Profiling Six Extraordinary Holocaust Survivors and Their Lives After the War 
• Durham College Library:  I Was a Child of Holocaust Survivors 
• Durham College Library: The Blue Shirts: Adrien Arcand and Fascist Anti-Semitism in Canada by Hugues Théorêt 
• Canadian Human Rights Museum: The Stain of Antisemitism in Canada  
• UNESCO: Addressing Antisemitism through Education 
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: International Holocaust Remembrance Day 

We know that days like these can be difficult for members of our DC community, and we’re here for you. If you need support,access our resources and supports.