Today is Holocaust Memorial Day and it is once again an opportunity to pledge our commitment to honour those who were murdered during the Holocaust, as well as paying tribute to the extraordinary Holocaust survivors who work tirelessly to educate young people today.
Sadly, unlike in previous year’s in the lead up to and on Holocaust Memorial Day, the thousands of commemorative events arranged by schools, faith groups and community organisations across the country have not been able to take place due to Covid-19 restrictions.
However, none of this loosens our resolve to reflect and remember all the victims of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides. The theme for this year’s commemorations is ‘Be the light in the Darkness’, encouraging us all to reflect on the depths humanity can sink to, but also the ways that individuals and communities have resisted such darkness to ‘be the light’ before, during and after genocide. As the Holocaust moves from living history, to history, it becomes ever more important that we take the time to remember the six million Jewish victims and pay tribute to the survivors.
*Photograph taken in 2020 before COVID 19 regulations came into place