January 27 is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, Holocaust Remembrance Day was designated by the United Nations General Assembly as a means of “honor[ing] the victims of the Nazi era and develop[ing] educational programs to help prevent future genocides.” But that isn’t the only day that Holocaust remembrance is important.

Many of us grew up learning about the Jewish Holocaust (or are even old enough to have lived through it). In fact, it is a relatively common setting for many books and films today.

Yet how much time do we actually spend thinking about the environment and events that led to it and other genocides throughout history? I mean really thinking about these things and connecting them to our current world?

In today’s heated political climate, it seems thinking about the Holocaust is imperative. After all, these are tumultuous times. Citizens are divided. Tempers are running hot. People are afraid. If ever there were a time for reflection — and perhaps more importantly, a time for action — it is certainly now.

These 18 powerful quotes about the Holocaust are a great place to start, for as George Santayana famously stated, we must not forget the past lest we condemn ourselves to repeat it.