Vermont HCR 174: House concurrent resolution recognizing January 27, 2026, as International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Vermont

Bill Text

R-209 Page 1 of 1
2026

VT LEG #387204 v.1
No. R-209. House concurrent resolution recognizing January 27, 2026, as
International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Vermont.
(H.C.R.174)
Offered by Representatives Rachelson of Burlington and Chapin of East Montpelier
Whereas, January 27 is observed annually as International Holocaust Remembrance
Day, to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust and to ensure that future generations
understand a recurrence must be prevented, and
Whereas, the Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the systematic state-sponsored
persecution and murder of approximately six million Jews by Nazi Germany and its
collaborators during World War II; and millions of others, including Roma, Poles,
persons with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, Soviet prisoners of war, and political
dissidents were also targeted, and
Whereas, the date for International Holocaust Remembrance Day was selected
because it marks the January 27, 1945, anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz
Concentration Camp, where the Nazis murdered at least 1.5 million men, women, and
children, and
Whereas, the memory of the Holocaust serves as a stark reminder of the devastating
consequences of intolerance and bigotry and a warning that, if not remembered, the same
can occur again, and
Whereas, antisemitism, including harassment on the basis of actual or perceived
Jewish origin, ancestry, ethnicity, identity, affiliation, or faith, remains a disturbingly
persistent and pervasive problem, and
Whereas, survivors of the Holocaust, their families and communities, and the
organizations, such as the Vermont Holocaust Memorial, that are dedicated to preserving
Holocaust history serve as living testaments to the resilience of the human spirit and the
importance of ensuring that such atrocities are never repeated, and
Whereas, the intention of International Holocaust Remembrance Day is to educate the
world concerning the horrors of the Holocaust and, locally, to encourage Vermonters to
work together for a society that respects every individual, that is devoid of all
antisemitism, and that prevents the reoccurrence of such a massive human tragedy, a
mission that the Vermont Holocaust Memorial addresses daily through educational and
informational programs, now therefore be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives
That the General Assembly recognizes January 27, 2026, as International Holocaust
Remembrance Day in Vermont, and be it further
Resolved: That the Secretary of State be directed to send a copy of this resolution to
the Vermont Holocaust Memorial.