Salisbury marking Holocaust Memorial Day
Commemorations are being held in the Guildhall Square
Salisbury is marking Holocaust Memorial Day today (Monday 27th January), to honour and remember those who died during the Holocaust and genocides that followed around the world.
The date marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi concentration camp complex, and the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia.
Salisbury City Council is holding a commemoration event at the Guildhall today from 10.30am.
Invited representatives of communities, groups, organisations and faiths from across the city will be in attendance.
The event will include readings, presentations and music for reflection, along with a minute silence and the reading of the Stockholm Statements of Commitment.
This has become a core moment of the City’s response to this day, creating an opportunity to collectively state that Salisbury “will continue to encourage Holocaust remembrance by holding an annual Holocaust Memorial Day. We condemn the evils of prejudice, discrimination and racism. We value a free, respectful, and democratic society”.
The theme for this year is ‘For a Better Future’ which express solidarity with our communities and commit to a better future where people are not suffering prejudice or persecution because of their faith, ethnicity or other characteristic.
Local school and college students will speak on what these dark moments in global history mean to them today and to look at active ways to combat discrimination.
Poems from last year’s memorial poetry competition will be displayed alongside resources and materials from the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust and the Banqueting Hall at the Guildhall will be open to the public from midday until 5.00pm for those who are unable to attend the event but wish to sign the memorial book and take a moment to reflect.