It’s Holocaust Memorial Day today (January 27) and people across East Lancashire have come together to remember and pay respects to victims of genocide, oppression and torture.
This morning, Blackburn with Darwen Council and the Blackburn with Darwen Interfaith Forum hosted a memorial ceremony in the Council Chamber at Blackburn Town Hall.
The ceremony, which took place between 10am and 11am ,welcomed around 70 people and saw speakers from different faith communities and contributions from local secondary school pupils.
Pupils from Witton Park High School shared their thoughts on the subject of Ordinary People, as this is the theme of this year’s commemoration.
Rabbi Arnold Saunders came from Manchester and delivered a keynote speech.
Brayden Hartley, the council’s marketing and communications apprentice, read out a poem written especially for the event.
Everyone present at the event remembered the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, alongside the millions of other people killed under Nazi persecution and in genocides that followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
Councillor Phil Riley, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, said: “In Blackburn with Darwen Holocaust Memorial Day is an important date in our community calendar.
“It provides the perfect opportunity to reflect on the Holocaust and other atrocities and understand why is it so important that we learn from them, so that they are never repeated.
“It’s been three years since we have been able to gather together in person as a community – during the pandemic, however, we continued to pay our respects to victims of persecution, by holding Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations online.
“I’m looking forward to standing together with local people from all walks of life – ordinary people who feel strongly about uniting to reject hatred in all its ugly forms.”
Derek Estill, secretary of the Blackburn with Darwen Interfaith Forum, who jointly organised the ceremony with council officers said: “Our Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration is always a very moving ceremony.
“We are very grateful to have Rabbi Arnold Saunders coming along to share his wisdom with us, and I’m looking forward to hearing from the young people from local schools as they share their own views on how ordinary people like them can be a force for good in the world and call out prejudice and hatred before it escalates.”
Other East Lancashire councils are also paying their respects this Holocaust Memorial Day.
Tonight the Mercer Clock Tower in Great Harwood will be lit up purple tonight to mark the day, which is also the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.
This week, Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson signed the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment, in doing so pledging his commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day and honouring 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.
After signing the Book of Commitment, Mr Stephenson said, “Holocaust Memorial Day is an important opportunity for people from Pendle to reflect on the darkest times of European history. Today, I pledge to remember the six million Jewish men, women and children who were murdered in Holocaust.”
Blackburn Cathedral is hosting two exhibitions designed to give people the opportunity to learn about Jewish culture and customs.
The ‘Jewish Living Experience’ is a touring exhibition that gives people an opportunity to experience Judaism through beautifully illustrated display panels and by handling authentic cultural artefacts. School groups can also take part in educational activities that promote experiential learning.
‘They’re only Pictures’ is a thought-provoking exhibition of photographs of Auschwitz taken by an interfaith group on a recent visit. It focuses on the impact of community dialogue on our understanding of dignity and mutual respect.
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