Senate declares April Holocaust and Genocide Awareness Month

STATE HOUSE – The Senate today approved a resolution proclaiming April Holocaust and Genocide Awareness Month in Rhode Island.

The resolution (2024-S 2984) sponsored by Sen. Samuel D. Zurier (D-Dist. 3, Providence) further declares that the Senate “strongly encourages Rhode Island’s history and social science educators to incorporate lessons on past and current genocide atrocities into their curriculum and classroom discussions in order to encourage and foster a new generation with insight and the pledge to work to eradicate bigotry, prejudice, brutality and injustice.”

Said Senator Zurier, “I am honored to sponsor this year’s proclamation declaring April a time to remember the Holocaust and other genocides. Fittingly, this resolution was passed through the Senate Education Committee on April 24, which is Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day. I am grateful to join my Senate colleagues today to affirm the importance of remembering these atrocities and ensuring they continue to be taught to our students so that they might one day live in a world where genocide exists only in memories.”

As the resolution recognizes, Rhode Island passed a law in 2016 requiring school districts to teach students about genocide and the Holocaust and in 2021 created a permanent Genocide and Holocaust Education Commission to promote and continually improve genocide and Holocaust education in schools.

The resolution continues by stating that it is essential that “we educate our youth about the millions of men, women, and children who have and continue to be slaughtered and ostracized simply because of their beliefs and their heritage, or their strength or frailty, in order to not let this brutality and senseless hatred and carnage continue.”