Civic leaders joined school children at a ceremony to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day.

Blackburn with Darwen Council and the Blackburn with Darwen Interfaith Forum hosted the ceremony in the Council Chamber at Blackburn Town Hall.

There were contributions local secondary school pupils with the aim of sharing the message that 'we need to unite to reject hatred in all its form's.

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.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Holocaust Memorial Day today (27 January) is observed the world over and the theme of this year’s commemoration is ‘Fragility of Freedom’. Pupils from eight local secondary schools shared their thoughts on the subject from their own unique perspective.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council Councillor Phil Riley, was at the event.

He said: “As a borough, we have officially condemned hatred in all its forms, and are committed to treating everyone in Blackburn with Darwen as a valued member of our community.

“It’s fundamental that the Holocaust and other genocides have their own place in history and that we learn from the past and are proactive to condemn the evils of prejudice, discrimination and racism, and fight for a free, respectful and equal future.

“The young people that joined us today and all those in the borough and beyond are the ones that with continue with this message of hope and peace.”

A video from the Holocaust Memorial Trust was shown, and Rabbi Arnold Saunders, who regularly contributes to local Holocaust Memorial Day activities, joined online to give the keynote address.

At the end of the ceremony candles were lit as a sign of peace and unity, and a one minute silence was observed.