Lithuania marked the National Memorial Day for the Genocide of Lithuanian Jews, honouring the memory of the country’s Jewish victims at the Memorial of the Genocide of Lithuanian Jews in Paneriai. The annual commemoration was attended by senior Lithuanian officials, representatives of the Jewish community, state institutions, the diplomatic corps and members of the public.

Observed annually on 23 September, the National Memorial Day commemorates the victims of the Holocaust in Lithuania and marks the liquidation of the Vilna Ghetto by the Nazi occupation authorities and their local collaborators in 1943. The date also honours the thousands of Jews murdered at Paneriai, one of the principal sites of mass murder during the Holocaust. Approximately 190,000 Lithuanian Jews were murdered during the Holocaust, representing the vast majority of the country’s pre-war Jewish population.

For centuries, Jewish communities were an integral part of Lithuania’s social, cultural and economic life. Their history is therefore an inseparable part of the history of Lithuania itself. The destruction of these communities during the Holocaust represented not only the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives, but also the destruction of families, institutions, traditions and a significant part of the country’s cultural heritage.

The annual commemoration at Paneriai provides an opportunity to honour the victims while reaffirming the importance of preserving historical truth. Remembering Lithuania’s Jewish past also means recognising the rich contribution of Jewish communities to the country’s history and ensuring that their story is not defined solely by the tragedy of the Holocaust.

Historical memory plays an important role in education and in helping future generations understand the consequences of antisemitism, hatred and dehumanisation. Preserving and teaching the history of Lithuania’s Jewish communities can help ensure that the lives, traditions and contributions of those who were murdered remain part of the country’s collective memory.

The commemoration also highlights the responsibility of public institutions and society as a whole to preserve Jewish heritage, confront Holocaust distortion and ensure that the history of Lithuania’s Jewish communities continues to be documented, taught and remembered.

By honouring the victims and preserving the memory of the communities that were destroyed, Lithuania continues to recognise that Jewish history and heritage form an integral part of the country’s past and present.