July 2, 2026 marks the passing of Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor, Nobel Peace Prize winner, human rights advocate, and among the most eloquent chroniclers of the tragic events of the Shoah.
Elie Wiesel's memoir “Night”, based on his grueling experiences in Auschwitz and Buchenwald during the Shoah, has been read by tens of millions of people since its English publication in 1960. Night is one of most commonly assigned books in middle and high school curricula around the world.
Wiesel had a significant impact on the March of the Living. Wiesel served on the Presidium for the first March of the Living in 1988, during its founding year. Wiesel also attended the March of the Living in 1990, and again in 2005, during the 60th anniversary of the end of WWII, where Wiesel addressed over 18,000 in attendance , the largest event in the program's history.
In January 2006, international March of the Living facilitated the visit of Wiesel to Auschwitz with Oprah Winfrey which was broadcast to millions of viewers on the Oprah Winfrey Show on May 24, 2006.
“I had the privilege of spending two full days with Nobel Laureate Prof. Wiesel during his visit to Auschwitz with Oprah Winfrey in January 2006,” said Dr. David Machlis, Vice Chair, International March of the Living. “Spending a full day alone with Prof. Wiesel might be overwhelming for some. But quite the opposite -- he was a gentle giant. I recall having dinner with him at a Krakow restaurant and his warm and lengthy conversation with the local waitress. I remember his wry smile when we approached Auschwitz, and he noticed the sign: “Museum”. Despite his vast knowledge, intelligence and fame - he was a model of modesty and humility.”
Throughout his life, Wiesel stressed the moral obligation to not only listen to the testimony Holocaust survivors but to bear witness to their painful stories, memorably stating: “When you listen to a witness, you become a witness.”
These simple yet compelling words have since become the north star of the March of the Living. Hundreds of thousands of young people have travelled with Holocaust survivors on the March of the Living since 1988, intently listening to their words, and pledging to be the bearers of their memories and to share their testimony with future generations. Wiesel’s words also became the title of a March of the Living exhibit that was hosted at the United Nations and other prestigious venues around the world.
In 2016, a year after Wiesel's passing, international March of living commissioned a special documentary titled, “ Elie Wiesel: Conscience of the World” which premiered during the 2016 March of the Living ceremony on Yom Hashoah. His son, Elisha Wiesel, was also delivered a keynote speech in his memory at the 2016 ceremony.
Today, 10 years after his passing, Elie Wiesel’s message still resonates strongly among March participants and his legacy plays a central role in the March of the Living. Each year, we continue to create thousands of young witnesses, who pledge to remember and share the stories of our beloved Holocaust survivors to the generations that follow.
Written in collaboration with March of the Living