On 27 January 2025, for the 80^th International Remembrance Day of the Holocaust, the President of the Jewish community in Romania, HE Silviu Vexler, organised a commemoration in the Choral Temple, the main synagogue in Bucharest. 

The event began with the laying of floral wreaths by the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis; the Prime Minister of Romania, Marcel Ciolacu; the President of the Romanian Court of Cassation, Corina Alina Corbu; among other state officials.

The ceremony continued with speeches from President Vexler, Prime Minister, the President of the Chamber of Deputies, the Vice President of the Senate, among others, sharing their reflections and memories. The ceremony was concluded with a short concert in honour of all victims of the holocaust.

Ambassador of the Order of Malta to Romania, HE Roberto Musneci, who participated in the commemoration alongside other representatives of the diplomatic corps, stated, “Today was a highly emotive and moving event, marking 80 years of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. While Auschwitz is perhaps the most well-known and infamous camp, from 1933 to 1945, the Nazi regime operated a network of more than a thousand concentration camps across Germany and occupied Europe, in which innumerable horrors were committed against millions of Jewish, Roma, and other groups.”

Ambassador Musneci added, “Research in several European countries shows that antisemitism is still a major risk. In Romania, almost 50% of people interviewed consider that the risk of another holocaust is still unfortunately present. The percentage is higher in other countries. We should continue to raise awareness on the risk of a growing antisemitism so that the commitment taken 80 years ago will remain valid. What Europe witnessed over 80 years ago must not—and will not—happen again.”

On the same day, the Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta, Fra’ John Dunlap, participated in the commemoration event held in Poland at the former Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp: https://www.orderofmalta.int/news/grand-master-of-order-of-malta-in-auschwitz-on-remembrance-day