Statement by Vice-President Jourová and Commissioner Reynders on the Europe-Wide Day of Remembrance for the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes

The Europe-Wide Day of Remembrance for the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes has been celebrated since 2009, when the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for the ‘proclamation of 23 August as a Europe-wide Remembrance Day for the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes, to be commemorated with dignity and impartiality’.

Through the Europe for citizens programme, the European Commission supports projects across Europe which address the history of totalitarian crimes and encourage remembrance.

Vice-President for Values and Transparency, Věra Jourová, and Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, issued a statement, in which they said: “Every 23 August is a day to recall the lessons of this frightful past, to remember those who suffered at the hands of brutal regimes across our continent and to pay tribute to those who fought for a better future. Freedom from totalitarianism and authoritarianism is not a given. It is a hard-won way of life that we should cherish every day. We chose this freedom when we signed our European Treaties and with every step of building and strengthening this Union – the freedom to live in dignity, to choose how our nations are governed, and to determine our own future. We would do well to remember this as Europe is not without challenges today. It is in challenging times, when extremist narratives find fertile ground, that we must stand strong for our values and defend freedom and democracy.”