Holocaust Memorial Day is observed in Lithuania on September 23 each year, commemorating the liquidation of the Vilna Ghetto in 1943. The Holocaust in Nazi-occupied Lithuania began in 1939, with the establishment of the Vilna Ghetto in 1941, where around 40,000 Jews were killed over two years. The Ghetto was divided into the Large and Small Ghettos, with the Small Ghetto being liquidated in October 1941 and the Large Ghetto beginning its liquidation on August 6, 1943. The total liquidation occurred on September 23-24, 1943. Established in 1994, this memorial day involves schoolchildren and regional communities participating in commemoration activities organized by both governmental and non-governmental organizations.