Online event to mark Holocaust Memorial Day in North Herts
NHDC will host an online event for Holocaust Memorial Day - Credit: NHDC
Holocaust Memorial Day is set to be marked by North Herts District Council with an online event to encourage remembrance.
The day, January 27, seeks to encourage remembrance of the six million Jews who lost their lives during the Second World War, as well as millions of others who lost their lives due to Nazi persecution.
Holocaust Memorial Day is held annually on January 27, a date which marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp. - Credit: Bill Hunt
Holocaust Memorial Day also remembers those who died in genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
This year’s theme is ‘Be the light in the darkness’ which encourages everyone to reflect and learn about other cultures, community cohesion and appreciating the diversity of people's different backgrounds and circumstances.
The event, which will be live streamed from the council's YouTube channel, will open with a prayer from Rabbi Alan Garber of the Shenley United Synagogue and individuals from different faiths will speak, reflecting on what the day means to their religion.
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There will be stories from Jewish families who settled in Letchworth before and after the Second World War - and a video interview of Ivor Perl, a Holocaust survivor who was sent to the Auschwitz death camp aged 12.
NHDC recently held a competition inviting secondary school pupils to take part in a creative writing competition to write about what being a light in the darkness means to them and the winning entries will be read at the event.
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A competition was also held inviting primary school children to create a poster around the light in the darkness theme.
Holocaust Memorial Day is held each year on the day which marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp.
Cllr Judi Billing, NHDC’s executive member for community engagement said: “It is important that we not only remember those who tragically lost their lives and suffered immeasurably during these inhuman atrocities, but that we also look to the light and hear stories of the kindness in humanity, where people pulled together to help each other during those awful times.
"We must never forget these crimes and must learn from them, to help ensure they never happen again.”
The Holocaust Memorial Day event can be viewed on the NHDC YouTube channel at 11am on the January 27 at www.youtube.com/user/northhertsdc.
For more information on Holocaust Memorial Day go to www.hmd.org.uk.
