People in Southport are joining people across the world in recognising Holocaust Memorial Day today (Monday 27th January 2025), which coincides with the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp.
The theme for Holocaust 2025 is “For a Better Future”.
Yesterday saw a service taking place at Christ Church in Southport to honour the victims of the Holocaust.
Southport MP Patrick Hurley said: “This week, I signed the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day, which marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.
“On Sunday, I attended the Sefton Holocaust Memorial Day service at Christ Church, where we gathered to reflect on the atrocities of the Holocaust, remember the victims and survivors, and reaffirm our commitment to combating hatred and prejudice in all its forms.”
This Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) marks 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi concentration camp complex, and the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia.
There are many things we can all do to create a better future. We can speak up against Holocaust and genocide denial and distortion; we can challenge prejudice; we can encourage others to learn about the Holocaust and more recent genocides.
The Holocaust was the attempt by the Nazis and their collaborators to destroy all Jewish people in Europe, along with other groups.
It took place across 22 different countries with the active participation of some of the citizens of those countries.
Helen Aronson BEM was only 12 years old when the German army arrived at her home. She was one of around only 750 people to be liberated from the Łódź Ghetto, out of 250,000 people. Her mother and brother survived with her, but her father was murdered at Chełmno. Today she shares her experiences to school children to ensure as many people as possible can learn from the past, for a better future:
“I hope by sharing my experiences people can better understand how inflicting suffering on one another benefits nobody, and instead find ways to reach out and open our hearts.
“I believe education, especially for our children, is key to renouncing hate and prejudice whenever we encounter it and to break down the barriers that may exist between us.”
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