Earlier this week, I signed a Book of Commitment in the House of Commons, in doing so pledging my commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day and honouring the victims of the Holocaust: those who died and the extraordinary survivors.
This year, I have also had the honour of tabling the Holocaust Memorial Day EDM (no. 889). It has been designed to give Members of all political persuasion an opportunity to note the 68th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and reflect what can happen when racism, prejudice and exclusionary behavior are left unchecked.
The text of the EDM reads as follows:
“That this House notes that on 27 January 2013 the UK will observe Holocaust Memorial Day, the 68th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, where an estimated 1.1 million people were murdered; commemorates the 6 million victims of the Holocaust; further notes that the theme for Holocaust Memorial Day 2013 is Communities Together: Build a Bridge, asking each of us to remember and stand by those who were forced to live through these experiences; pays tribute to the commitment of Holocaust survivors, who share their experiences with young people across the country; acknowledges the importance of the Holocaust Educational Trust's work in schools across the UK and in particular the Lessons from Auschwitz Project, which has so far given over 18,000 students and teachers the opportunity to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau; pays further tribute to the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust for organising this year's Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations; further notes that a Book of Commitment will be placed in the corridor between the Members' Cloakroom and Members' Staircase between the hours of 14.00 and 16.00 from 14 to 16 January and 21 to 23 January 2013; and urges all hon. Members to sign the Book and observe the day, so that the appalling events of the Holocaust are always understood by future generations.”
Sunday January 27th will mark the 68th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the Nazi concentration and extermination camp which is the site of the largest mass murder in history. Many survivors of the Holocaust continue to work tirelessly to educate young people about what they endured through the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Outreach programme and in the weeks leading up to and after 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.
Holocaust Memorial Day is an important opportunity to remember the victims of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides. I encourage all constituents to mark the day and to join members of community in the fight against intolerance and prejudice.
The Holocaust Educational Trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales (1092892) and in Scotland (SC042996). We rely on individual donations to produce our resources and deliver our educational programmes, with the exception of the Lessons from Auschwitz Project, which is supported by a Government grant. If you would like information on how to donate to HET and support our work, please call us on 020 7222 6822, visit our website www.het.org.uk, and follow us on Twitter: @HolocaustUK and Facebook: Holocaust Educational Trust (UK).