Bristol and Bath commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day
Civic ceremonies in Bristol and Bath honour victims and highlight lessons for future generations
Bristol and Bath are marking Holocaust Memorial Day today, 27th January 2026, with civic events highlighting this year’s theme, ‘Bridging Generations’.
In Bristol, the annual ceremony is being held at City Hall on College Green and explores the impact of genocide across families and communities.
Alongside keynote speakers, including a Holocaust survivor, a panel featuring trauma experts Judi Bauernfreund and Katherine Cox will discuss the consequences of past and present conflicts.
Reverend Eric Aidoo, Pastor of City Road Baptist Church, is leading the commemoration.
Bath is commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day with an event at The Guildhall, beginning at 5.45pm this evening.
Organised by Bath & North East Somerset Council in partnership with Bath Interfaith Group, the ceremony will focus on the importance of sharing memory, testimony, and education to prevent future acts of hatred and discrimination.
Councillor Liz Hardman, Chair of Bath & North East Somerset Council, is opening the event. “’Bridging Generations’ reminds us that remembrance is not passive. By listening to those who experienced the horrors of genocide and those who are carrying these memories forward, we strengthen our responsibility to stand together against hatred and prejudice,” Councillor Hardman said.
The Bath programme will feature contributions across generations and different lived experiences. Local pupils from St Gregory’s School and Hayesfield School will share their reflections after participating in the Learning from Auschwitz programme.
Christina Hilsenrath, chair of the Friends of the Bath Jewish Burial Ground, is introducing refugee Sasha Porter, who will present her project, ‘Ceramic Flowers for Remembrance and Hope’, inspired by the Srebrenica flower, a symbol of remembrance for the victims of the Srebrenica genocide. Attendees will receive hand-crafted ceramic flowers.
Holocaust Memorial Day remembers the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, those persecuted under Nazi rule, and victims of more recent genocides in Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda, and Darfur.
Both Bristol and Bath’s commemorative events reflect on how lessons from history can inform a more compassionate future. Through testimony and education, these ceremonies encourage reflection on the need to challenge identity-based discrimination and cultivate societies that resist hatred.