Earlier this week I signed the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment.
In signing the book for the second time, I reaffirmed my commitment to honouring those who were murdered during the Holocaust and observing Holocaust Memorial Day. as well as paying tribute to the extraordinary Holocaust survivors who work tirelessly to educate young people today.
Saturday 27th January will mark the anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration and death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, which is the site of the largest mass murder in history. In the lead up to and on Holocaust Memorial Day, thousands of commemorative events will be arranged by schools, faith groups and community organisations across the country, remembering all the victims of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides. The theme for this year’s commemorations is ‘The power of words’.
Holocaust Memorial Day is an important opportunity for people to reflect on the tragic events of the Holocaust. As the Holocaust moves from living history to just history, it becomes ever more important that we take the time to remember the victims and the events they suffered through. It is also a chance to pay tribute to the extraordinary survivors who work tirelessly to educate young people today about what happened during the Holocaust.
This year’s theme of ‘The power of words’ is a particularly poignant one given the recent rise in hate-filled abuse, particularly on social media. The Holocaust started not in the gas chambers but with hate-filled words and now more than ever, we must all play our part in standing up to prejudice and calling out abuse wherever we see it.
Karen Pollock MBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said:
“Our mission is to educate young people from every background about the Holocaust and its contemporary relevance. We are very grateful to Nigel for signing the Book of Commitment, signalling a continued commitment to remembering the victims of the Holocaust as well as challenging antisemitism, prejudice and bigotry in all its forms.”