Oldham is to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day with a special event at Waterhead Academy later this week.
This comes as the borough comes together to reflect on the millions of lives lost during the Holocaust and subsequent genocides.
Pupils from Years 7 and 8 will join the Mayor of Oldham, alongside members of Oldham’s Interfaith Forum, Oldham Pride, Oldham Youth Council and other civic dignitaries at the event from 10am on Friday 27 January.
Schoolchildren will lead the remembrance with a number of readings, a candle lighting, and the unveiling of an art display that will host the thoughts and words from its pupils on a decorated tree.
Rabbi Daniel Walker of Oldham’s Interfaith Forum and members of Oldham Youth Council will also talk at the event, as they pay tribute to those not only murdered by the Nazi regime and their collaborators during the Holocaust, but victims of the devastating genocides that followed in Columbia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
Leader of Oldham Council, Councillor Amanda Chadderton, said: “It’s important we come together every year to reflect and remember those who have been horrifically killed in some of the worst atrocities in history.
“And while we reflect on these past atrocities, this still sadly takes place in the present day as we see during the ongoing conflict in the Darfur region of western Sudan.
“That is why we must continue to unite in our opposition to prejudice, discrimination and racism wherever it occurs, and reaffirm our ongoing commitment to stand against hatred and take action to create a safer future.”
The theme of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day is ‘Ordinary People’ with the day highlighting the ordinary people who let genocide happen, the ordinary people who actively perpetrated genocide, and the ordinary people who were sadly persecuted.
The theme has also been used as a prompt for us to consider how ordinary people, such as ourselves, can perhaps play a bigger part than we might imagine in challenging prejudice today.
“We can all play our part in this fight against hate,” Cllr Chadderton added.
“If we all call out what we see is wrong in our society and across the world, we can make this a better place to live, not just for ourselves but for future generations to come.”
There are many ways residents can pay their respect to Holocaust Memorial Day this year, including joining in the UK’s online commemoration event which will be streamed on Thursday 26 January from 7pm via the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust’s website.
Households can also join in a national ‘Light the Darkness’ moment at 4pm on Friday 27 January by safely lighting a candle in their window, as we remember those who were murdered for who they were, and to take a stand against prejudice and hatred.
If you want to learn more about Holocaust Memorial Day, please visit www.hmd.org.uk and if you believe you have been affected by hate, please do not suffer in silence.
Report a hate crime today by visiting www.oldham.gov.uk/hatecrime or call our 24-hour confidential ‘Stop Hate Crime’ helpline on 0800 138 1625.