By DPA
Brasilia : Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has said the Holocaust must be remembered as an example of intolerance and disrespect for human rights.
“The sad and tragic memories of the Holocaust must not be erased and must be passed on to other generations,” Lula said Friday in an event to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Rio de Janeiro.
“I take part in this gathering for the third year in a row, because I think it is vital to remember the terror apparatus launched by the Nazis,” Lula said.
During the ceremony, the Jewish Museum in Rio de Janeiro announced the photo exhibition, “Holocaust Never Again”.
Lula stressed that his government is intent on guaranteeing respect for human rights, citing as an example that crimes related to racial discrimination in Brazil are not subject to bail.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day is officially Jan 27, but memorial events were held early this year since the date falls on a Sunday.
The Holocaust is the term generally used to describe the killing of approximately six million European Jews, as part of a programme of deliberate extermination planned and executed by the National Socialist regime in Germany led by Adolf Hitler during World War II.