AUSCHWITZ, Poland - On the grounds of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, European leaders gathered to commemorate the Roma and Sinti victims of the Holocaust, framing historic remembrance as an urgent modern safeguard for democratic governance.
Representing the Principality of Monaco in her role as President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Isabelle Berro-Amadeï, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, led the official delegation during European Roma Holocaust Memorial Day.
Addressing those assembled at the former extermination camp, Ms. Berro-Amadeï emphasized that memory work cannot remain a passive tribute to the past. Instead, she urged persistent vigilance against rising prejudice, including racism, antisemitism, antigypsyism, and the systemic normalization of social exclusion. In her remarks, she positioned historic conscience as a foundation of European democratic values and lasting peace.
Beyond the formal proceedings, Ms. Berro-Amadeï joined Holocaust survivors and young Roma and Sinti representatives for a dialogue dedicated to intergenerational memory transfer. Reaffirming the Council of Europe’s commitment, she underscored the necessity of Holocaust education, counteracting historical denialism, preserving memorial sites, and securing official recognition of the genocide perpetrated against Roma and Sinti communities.
Photo Credits: Government of Monaco Instagram