Drawing by child survivor of genocide, Darfur, 2007. Wiener Holocaust Library collections.

An event to mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2025 with René Cassin.

Sudan has been at war for longer than it has been at peace. The Sudanese people have been plagued by genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes since independence in 1956.

In 2003, a civil war began in the region between the sedentary population of black African farmers and the lighter-skinned nomadic Arab population. The Sudanese Government supported Arab militia – the Janjaweed – who destroyed hundreds of villages and murdered more than 200,000 people. These atrocities have been condemned as genocide by the International Criminal Court and several governments around the world.

Although these initial atrocities occurred between 2003-2005, to this day violence is ongoing  within the region and the situation continues to evolve; the current cycle of violence could become worse than the genocide that started in 2003 in Darfur.

The Darfur genocide has led to approximately 400,000 Darfuri deaths and forced another 365,000 to flee to refugee camps in neighbouring Chad. Many have made their way to the UK seeking asylum and refuge.

The theme for this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day, marked on 27 January, is For a Better Future. The survivors of the Darfur genocide and their families deserve a Better Future. One where human dignity is respected and where compassion, solidarity and justice are at the core of how people are treated.

To mark this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day, René Cassin together with The Wiener Holocaust Library, Waging Peace and the Darfur Diaspora Association UK, is hosting a joint event where we will learn about the current situation in Darfur and South Sudan, challenges facing survivors and their families as they seek safety in the UK and the allyship and support we can offer.

The event will include speakers from  Waging Peace, The Wiener Holocaust Library and the Darfur Diaspora Association and will be moderated by René Cassin.