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March of the Living Statement on Extremism

International March of the Living expresses its concern with the rising tide of far right and extremist sentiment in Europe and elsewhere.

While not all extremist groups focus their efforts against Israel or the Jewish people, we firmly oppose any movement that advances the demonization of minorities and immigrants – whoever they may be – as the main pillar of their ideology.

One of the central goals of the March of the Living is to never again allow any kind of discrimination directed by any individual or group against another to gain strength.

Given the Jewish people’s historic experience of persecution, our tradition teaches that the Jewish people have a special responsibility to oppose intolerance and to teach the world that all human beings are created b’tselem Elohim- in the image of G-D-and all deserve equal dignity and respect.

Each year, on Holocaust Remembrance Day, thousands of young people of different faiths and backgrounds from around the world gather in Auschwitz-Birkenau for the International March of the Living. On the very grounds of the largest killing field in human history, they proclaim“Never Again”, and march together against all forms of prejudice, intolerance and hatred.

The proclamation of Never Again means that what happened during the Holocaust to the Jewish people and millions of other innocent victims in WWII – ­ Poles, Roma and Sinti, Jehovah’s Witnesses, homosexuals, the disabled and political prisoners ­ – should never be allowed to happen again, whomever the innocent victims may be.

International March of the Living stands firmly in opposing all forms of hatred and intolerance, whether it comes from the extreme right or the extreme left.

We invite all people of good will to stand with us in our efforts to create a more just and compassionate world for all humanity.

Hon. Phyllis Greenberg Heideman, President
Dr. Shmuel Rosenman, Chairman