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WHEREAS, Over sixty years ago, six million Jews were murdered in the Nazi Holocaust as part of a systematic program of genocide, and millions of other people suffered as victims of Nazism; and
WHEREAS, The people of the City of Philadelphia should continually rededicate themselves to the principle of equal justice for all people; and
WHEREAS, The people of the City of Philadelphia should remain eternally vigilant against all tyranny, and recognize that bigotry provides a breeding ground for tyranny to flourish; and
WHEREAS, The Memorial Committee for the Six Million Jewish Martyrs has chosen as the theme for this year's Memorial, Remembrance, Responsibility and the Future. We applaud the Committee for the honor they will bestow on the memory of those who perished and on those who survived to build and strengthen life in Philadelphia and other communities; and
WHEREAS, This year's speaker, Olivia Mattis, a child and grandchild of survivors, founded the Aristides de Sousa Mendes Foundation which commemorates the memory of the Portuguese diplomat who saved 30,000 people against the wishes of his government. As a result of his actions, he was ostracized by the Portuguese government and reduced to poverty. Nonetheless, he never regretted his actions saying I would rather stand with God against man, than with man against God . . . could not have acted otherwise, and I therefore accept all that has befallen me with love; and
WHEREAS, Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and the Memorial Committee for the Six Million Jewish Martyrs invite all citizens of Philadelphia and the region to join in the commemoration ceremony on May 1, 2011 in front of the Holocaust monument on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway from 1:00-3:00 PM.; therefore
BY VIRTUE OF THIS CITATION, The Council of the City of Philadelphia does hereby recognize the week of May 1 through May 8, 2011 as the Annual Remembrance of the Six Million Jewish Martyrs. We further recognize the horror of the Holocaust, and extend to the Memorial Committee the respect and admiration of this legislative body.
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