Supporters urged to light a candle as a reminder that genocide is still happening around the world
HOLOCAUST Memorial Day takes place each year on January 27 to commemorate the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi concentration camp.
But the day acts as a reminder that genocide is not a threat of the past, but something that can occur at any time, as shown in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
The Welsh Government’s event will be on Cardiff council’s YouTube channel from 11am to remember the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust and millions of other people killed in subsequent genocides.
In the words of Iby Knill, an Eastern European survivor of Auschwitz-Birkenau: “I think that unless we can teach people to understand each other, to tolerate and respect the differences, there is really no future for mankind.”
The Cardiff event on Thursday will feature contributions from the First Minister, the Lord Mayor of Cardiff, leader of Cardiff Council and the chief executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust.
Other speakers will include Eva Clarke BEM, who was born in a concentration camp and brought up in Cardiff, Abi Carter from Remembering Srebrenica Wales, and Young Ambassadors from the Holocaust Memorial Service.
The ceremony will be filmed from Cardiff City Hall in line with Welsh Government Covid-19 regulations.
Alessandro Bucci, director of the Holocaust Exhibition and Learning Centre, said: “Holocaust Memorial Day is a day when we remember all those affected by the Holocaust.
“Whether it is giving a platform to marginalised voices or guarding against misinformation, we all have the power to bring life to others.”
A survey commissioned by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany in 2021, showed that 57% of respondents believe that fewer people seem to care about the Holocaust today than they used to.
This demonstrates how important it is to keep educating people on the devastating impact of genocide and how we can ensure it does not happen again.
- You can watch the Welsh Government event on YouTube here.
- The UK ceremony will be streamed online from 7-8pm on January 27 and you can register to watch here.
If you are able to, light a candle and put it in your window at 8pm on January 27. The candlelight shows remembrance for people murdered and a promise to stand against prejudice and hatred.
Follow the hashtag #LightTheDarkness on Twitter to learn more.
