Latvia's president Raimonds Vējonis spoke at the Holocaust Memorial at the ruins of the Great Choral Synanogue that the holocaust was an enormous tragedy for the Jewish people and Latvia.
We have to always remember its devastating events and the people who stood out against it so similar tragedies never happen again, Latvia's president said at a Holocaust Memorial Day event in Riga.
"The holocaust was an enormous tragedy for the Jewish people as well as for the entire Latvia. The insane idea of the holocaust was brought to Latvia from outside, but unfortunately local collaborators were also involved in the holocaust," said Vējonis.
The world is still witnessing acts of aggression and military incursions, said Vējonis. We have to remember the events of the time and those who stood out against the holocaust, he said.
While Saeima Chairwoman Ināra Mūrniece said that the holocaust was a tragedy for the whole mankind. The holocaust cannot and will not be justified, she said, urging the people to remember those who opposed the crimes of the holocaust.
"The holocaust illustrates where intolerance can lead. We must always oppose incitement to hatred and violence," said Mūrniece.
On Sunday about 100 people participated in the procession to commemorate holocaust victims, starting at the Old Jewish Cemetery and moving to its destination – the memorial created in the ruins of the Great Choral Synanogue that was burnt down in 1941
Over 70,000 Jews were killed in Nazi-occupied Latvia from 1941 to 1945.
