Holocaust Memorial Day

What is Holocaust Memorial Day?

Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) takes place every year on 27 January, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp. It is an international day to remember the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, alongside the millions of other people killed under Nazi persecution of other groups and in genocides that followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. It is an occasion for everyone to come together to learn, remember and reflect.

Every year, a theme is selected for HMD and this year it is Ordinary People. Genocide is facilitated by ordinary people. Ordinary people turn a blind eye, believe propaganda, join murderous regimes. And those who are persecuted, oppressed and murdered in genocide aren’t persecuted because of crimes they’ve committed – they are persecuted simply because they are ordinary people who belong to a particular group (eg, Roma, Jewish community, Tutsi). Ordinary people were involved in all aspects of the Holocaust, Nazi persecution of other groups, and in the genocides that took place in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. Ordinary people were perpetrators, bystanders, rescuers, witnesses – and ordinary people were victims.

In the last year, Culham St Gabriel’s has become more strategic about its work furthering Article 18 of the UNDHR – the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). Following participation in an International Ministerial conference last July, the Trust is has become pro-active in its pursuit of FoRB through a broad based, critical reflective education in religion and worldviews. Educating ordinary children and young people so that they can become the activists of the future to advocate and stand up for ordinary victims of discrimination in all its forms is a vital element of this. In addition, by ensuring children have deep knowledge and understanding of past (and present) genocides may help to prevent them becoming ordinary perpetrators or bystanders.

We are delighted to be welcoming Joe Miller from HMD to share more about the importance of the day and how you can commemorate it at our In Conversation event on Monday 16th January at 4.30pm. You can register here: https://www.cstg.org.uk/activities/events/in-conversation/

We encourage you to learn, remember and reflect in your workplace, school or home. In particular we encourage you to register for the online commemoration on 26th January and join with thousands of others at 4pm on 27th January when we will light a candle in our windows to remember those who were murdered for who they were and to stand against prejudice- in all its forms- today.

Holocaust Memorial Day Trust

Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT) is a registered charity, funded by the UK Government, to promote and support HMD. They provide resources and support for thousands of HMD activities every year in workplaces, youth groups, museums, prisons, schools, colleges and universities, places of worship, and more.

To learn more about HMD and this year’s theme, or to access free resources, visit hmd.org.uk