Council of Europe’s Post

As part of my contribution to our collective memory of mankind: so horrible things can be hopefully avoided through our collective reflections.

The LinkedIn community seems to have an unwritten rule about not bringing politics into the platform... because LinkedIn is about business. But this post from Brian Collins is not about business, it's about humanity, and civilization, and freedom, dignity, and justice. I don't think you can run a successful business unless that business embraces all of those things. If there is anything business history teaches us, it's that there's only so long that any individual or institution can continue to put Profits over People. After all, the specific catalyst for the Boston Tea Party - which, in turn, was the Tipping Point for The American Revolution - was the Tea Act, which allowed the British East India Company to sell tea directly to the colonies, bypassing colonial merchants. So at a moment in time when Businesses - and Business People - are gaining incomprehensible amounts of wealth and exerting unprecedented amounts of influence on governments, we all need to be conscious of who we do business with, and how we conduct our businesses. It's hard to believe that today, 80 years after the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp was liberated, there are those who have never heard of, or have forgotten, or even gone so far as to suggest getting OVER the unimaginable horrors of the Holocaust. But that's happening. And if that can happen, then anything can happen.

Today is the 80th anniversary for the liberation of Auschwitz — the day defined as the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. And it seems the world has forgotten the lessons. Since the October 7 Hamas-led terror attack, antisemitism has been spiraling out of control everywhere in the world, and cyberattacks against Holocaust and Jewish memorial and educational websites have surged at an alarming rate. In 2024 alone, Cloudflare mitigated around 47 million cyberthreats against these important websites — a 30% increase compared to 2023. Read more about our findings: https://lnkd.in/dSYgfz-k

The former Nazi German death camp of Auschwitz attracted 1.83 million visitors in 2024. The number marked a 10-percent increase over 2023, but remained significantly below the pre-pandemic record of 2.32 million visitors in 2019. Visiting Auschwitz, or other Nazi concentration camps, is an important way to remember and reflect on the atrocities of the Holocaust. These sites are powerful reminders of the horrors of hatred, discrimination and the consequences of unchecked power. They serve not only as memorials for the victims but also as educational spaces where visitors can learn the importance of standing against antisemitism and all forms of hate today. We encourage everyone to visit these historic sites, ensuring that the lessons of the past are never forgotten and that the voices of the millions who suffered are never silenced.

Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27. The survivors of the Shoah are becoming more frail and fragile and they are leaving our world . Their voices are fading away. Not because they aren’t like thunder in our ears but because WE are getting more lazy and negligent in educating the coming generations. Know thy history! - The call was never more important than today when the virus of antisemitism is sweeping like an ugly epidemic through the world. The Claims Conference has conducted seven surveys across six countries examining Holocaust knowledge and awareness worldwide - not that long ago. The outcome of the knowledge of the Millenials is beyond shocking. The responses go from total ignorance to theories like the “Jews caused the Holocaust “ ( Link in the comments) I was lucky to have extraordinary and dedicated history teachers in Gymnasium. We visited Dachau when I was 15 or 16 with the class. It’s a haunting experience, which has left me shaken to the core. I would like to think all of us. - Visiting a camp is an important part of history education because it makes the horror , the atrocities, the complete absence of humanity by the Nationalsocialists more “ tangible “ . The huge gaps in historical knowledge about the Holocaust are more than worrisome because they leave millennials and GenZ wide open to the conspiracy theories, racist antisemitic libels spread on social media. The results of misinformation and of a history education with more holes than a Swiss cheese can be found on campuses all over the globe. So please - know your history!

Please do not scroll past this without giving a few moments of thought Do you feel anything? Is it important beyond historical fact? How can You take one action to ensure this does not or is not happening again? Because it is. We ARE NOT Powerless. I am reposting the message below. And I fight antisemitism in every context and on every platform. What can You do Now, Today to make a difference? Read up Speak out Support the organizations 👇👇 https://lnkd.in/ethTzY3c #NeverForget #NeverAgain

The United Nations General Assembly designated Jan. 27 — the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau — as #InternationalHolocaustRemembranceDay, a time to remember the 6 million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and the millions of other victims of Nazi persecution. We are witnessing an alarming rise of antisemitism and hatred around the globe and in the United States. Please take time today to truly think about one of the darkest periods in human history. The pain and suffering that hatred causes is evident. Hatred shapes the course of our daily lives and reverberates through the generations that follow us. Many in power stoke hatred among those with less power to keep us divided. Together we can push back against the narratives of difference and division, and we must begin by remembering the past so we do not repeat it. Thank you for joining us in building a future where love, compassion, and kindness drive out hatred, resentment, and cruelty. References: DoSomething.org United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

I encourage everyone who is not familiar with the Holocaust to visit this exhibition. This is a thread about why you should attend. A third of the Jews in the world died in the Holocaust, along with many others who were killed for being considered "inferior" by Nazis (e.g. people who were Polish, gay, or disabled). This exhibit will likely deepen your understanding of both history and current events. If you are interested in research or bioethics, you may learn about the horrific medical experiments that gave way to research ethics as we know it today. If you are interested in human rights, you may learn what happens when discrimination and dehumanization are not curtailed but instead allowed to flourish in society. If you are interested in culture, you may learn random facts about the Jews in your lives, such as why many will not drive a Volkswagen. If you are an aspiring superhero, you may learn about the very brave men and women who risked their lives to hide and help Jews during this time. If you are a parent and want to ensure your child is not ignorant about history, you can ensure they learn about one of the most significant historical events in the 20th century. If you want to do something to show the Jews in your lives that you care about them, learning about their history is a way to do that. I would be touched if a friend told me they went because they were concerned about the obvious rise in antisemitism and wanted to learn more. It might also help us have more meaningful conversations because, without the context of the Holocaust, our non-Jewish friends are not always able to understand our current fears. They might think we are paranoid or "fear-mongering". And if you are not sure why you should attend, you may still learn that what starts with the Jews rarely ends with the Jews. There is an unfortunate pattern in history where growing antisemitism is often a powerful indicator of a society on the verge of collapse. So if you would like to continue living in a democratic society, this may help you better understand why now is the time to act. Antisemitism is not just about Jews but rather a sign of looming crisis for all of us.

Starting the video series on BEING with the subject today of BEING KIND. Very pertinent after yesterday was International Holocaust Memorial Day and the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the concentration camp Auschwitz. Now, even more than ever, it is essential that to one another, and to ourselves, that we are BEING KIND. ❤️ #communicatingthroughchange #communicationcoach #TeamAlicia #being #beingkind #teamalicia