Kazakhstan Commemorates Victims of the Holocaust and Siege of Leningrad

Tel Aviv, January 27, 2025 –  Kazakhstan's Ambassador to Israel Daulet Yemberdiyev and the Embassy's Military Attaché Vyacheslav Volkov participated in commemorative events in Jerusalem, marking the 80th anniversary of International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 81st anniversary of the complete liberation of Leningrad from the Nazi blockade.

A memorial ceremony was held at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attended by representatives of the diplomatic corps. As part of the event, the documentary film “Where Are You Going?” directed by Yasmin Keini was screened. The film recounts the harrowing experiences of two prisoners from the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp—mother Halina Birenbaum and her son Yaacov Gilad, both of whom were present at the ceremony and shared their poignant memories of those tragic days.

During the wreath-laying ceremony at the “Candle of Remembrance” memorial, attendees observed a minute of silence to honor the memory of those who perished in the Holocaust, those who suffered during the Siege of Leningrad, and all victims of World War II.

The event was attended by heads of diplomatic missions from Russia, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, representatives from the Israeli Foreign Ministry, the Jerusalem municipality, as well as members of public and veteran organizations.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is observed annually on January 27. This observance was established by a resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on November 1, 2005. On this day, we also remember that 80 years ago, on January 27, 1945, the Red Army liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp, a symbol of the horrors of the Nazi regime.

The Candle of Remembrance, located in the city park “Gan Saker,” near the Knesset and Supreme Court buildings, serves as a poignant monument erected by the Government of St. Petersburg. It stands in memory of the Jews who perished during the Holocaust and all those who died during the Siege of Leningrad, symbolizing our shared commitment to remembering and honoring the victims of these atrocities.