In response to the reports of mass graves and acts of brutality against Ukrainian citizens by Russian armed forces, the Aegis Trust has joined Holocaust Museums from four countries – including its sister organisation, the UK National Holocaust Centre – raising their voices together to speak out. In a joint statement, the organisations condemn these acts as war crimes and support the International Criminal Court as it investigates charges of genocide by the Russian military against the Ukrainian people.

This statement represents a global network of institutions which educate visitors about previous atrocities in Europe and beyond to work toward a future where “never again” is a reality for everyone.

The statement reads:

Museums are bearers of history. By housing the artifacts and documents of the past, we ensure that the truth, both noble and horrific, of what humanity has done remains shared and accessible.

We at Holocaust museums around the world have a particular mission. The stories we tell are ones of destruction and pain, and of the nobility of upstanders who risked their lives to do what was right and help others. We not only aim to educate, to honor our Survivors’ wishes that their stories are not forgotten, but to make a better future where the stories we tell are no longer repeated.

So it is with sorrow that we see yet another atrocity in Ukraine, 80 years after the ‘Holocaust by Bullets’ in which Jewish men, women, and children were shot and buried in shallow graves. We are angered by today’s stories of children with their hands zip tied and buried in shallow graves. We are angered by the horrific reports of rape and wanton destruction of lives by the Russian army. These are war crimes, and if we, as the bearers of history, do not speak out, then we have failed in our mission.

We call upon our governments around the world to do more to stop these atrocities and assist those who have been brutalized. We support the International Criminal Court’s investigation of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

Signatories to the statement:

Susan Abrams • Illinois Holocaust Museum

Daniel Amar • Montreal Holocaust Museum

Erin Blankenship • The Florida Holocaust Museum

Marc Cave • The National Holocaust Centre and Museum, UK

Troy Fears • CANDLES Holocaust Museum

Mary Pat Higgins • Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum

Beth Kean • Holocaust Museum LA

Jack Kliger • Museum of Jewish Heritage

Mary Kluk • Durban Holocaust & Genocide Centre

Nina Krieger • Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre

Eli Mayerfeld • The Zekelman Holocaust Center

Tali Nates • Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre

Dee Simon • Holocaust Center for Humanity

James Smith • Aegis Trust

Helen Turner • St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum

Sarah L. Weiss • Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center

Kelly Zúñiga • Holocaust Museum Houston

The statement was shared as a full-page ad in The New York Times on Sunday, April 10.