International March of the Living commends Adidas for its recent decision to immediately terminate its partnership with Ye formerly known as Kanye West, for his most recent antisemitic statements, including those threatening the Jewish people.

The decision by Adidas – a German company globally famous for its shoes – carries even greater significance as International March of the Living is now partnering with the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation and the Auschwitz–Birkenau State Museum to restore 8,000 shoes which were taken from innocent Jewish children murdered in Auschwitz. These shoes, silent witnesses of lives lost, are the last tangible evidence of those Jewish children led to the gas chambers upon their arrival to the camp. They tell the story of where hatred can lead – a lesson of which Kanye clearly should take note.

To reaffirm our strong stance against hatred, we invite all people around the world to join us in the preservation of these 8,000 children’s shoes in the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum by participating in our Sole to Soul Campaign at motl.org/shoes.