Bournemouth and Poole will remember the atrocities of the Holocaust and other genocides with Holocaust Memorial Day taking place at the BIC for the first time.
Every year people across the country come together to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. They commemorate all those who were killed or persecuted during the Holocaust and subsequent genocides. The Bournemouth & Poole Holocaust Memorial Day Committee is organising its annual event for the first time at the Bournemouth International Centre, bringing together more people across Bournemouth and Poole than ever in remembrance.
January will mark seventy-one years since the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp. Over six million people lost their lives during the Nazi state sponsored extermination programme. Millions have since had their lives destroyed by genocides committed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
In line with this year’s theme of ‘Don’t Stand By,’ the Bournemouth event will draw attention to individual responsibilities not to be bystanders to hate crime and prejudice. Through commemorating the victims of genocide, the event hopes to ensure that the horrendous crimes, racism and victimisation committed during the Holocaust are neither forgotten nor repeated. It will also highlight ongoing international threats of genocide.
Lynda Ford-Horne, one of the organisers of the 2016 event, has commented:
‘‘The Holocaust continues to be relevant to our lives today. We must keep the memories of these awful events alive so they are never again repeated. Bringing people together from across the community in an act of remembrance will ensure we build a safer and better future together.’’
Speakers will include two Holocaust survivors who will share their harrowing experiences with the public. These will include a gentleman who escaped Germany with his sister and was brought to England as child, only to find out what happened to his family 70 years later; when he was sent a photograph of their suitcases at Auschwitz. The other gentleman will provide an account about the loss of his parents, Dachau concentration camp and his journey through Europe during one of the darkest periods of human history.
Pupils from local schools have been invited to attend. The aim will be to help future generations understand the Holocaust and keep the collective memories alive. Candles will be lit to representall those who have died in atrocities around the world. The Wessex Chorus have also been invited to perform on behalf of the charity.
Previous events by Bournemouth and Poole Holocaust Memorial Committee have seen up to 600 people gather in commemoration. January’s event, the first to be held in such a high capacity venue, will expect to see over 800 people in attendance. It will be held in the Tregonwell Hall of the BIC on the 31st of January from 2pm. All are welcome to attend.
For more information, visit: www.bphmd.weebly.com/2016-event.html.
