Holocaust 80 years later: commemorations to take place in Suffolk
Six-million Jewish people were murdered
Lessons from the past should be learned to avoid future conflict, says the Chief Operating Officer of the Holocaust Memorial Trust.
As the world commemorates Holocaust Memorial Day today (January 27th), Paul Lopez-Salzedo has highlighted the enduring importance of remembrance, education, and reflection.
Speaking to us about the day, which marks the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945, Lopez-Salzedo emphasised the critical need to learn from history to create a better future.
The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust was founded by the UK government in 2005 to commemorate the Holocaust, in which six million Jewish men, women, and children were murdered by the Nazis, as well as subsequent genocides such as those in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur.
It helps organise a number of memorial events across the country, including some in Suffolk, like the ceremony in the gardens of St Edmundsbury Cathedral, and a ceremony in Lowestoft hosted by the town council.
Mr Lopez-Salzedo said: "We focus on Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27th each year, but throughout the year we provide educational resources and campaign materials for both school children and adults so they can understand and we can learn from the lessons of the Holocaust for a better future."
Reflecting on the significance of Holocaust Memorial Day, Mr Lopez-Salzedo stressed the need to continue educating future generations, even as the events of the Holocaust become more distant.
He said: "We think it's critically important. The lessons of the Holocaust are what happens when humanity is at its worst, when we let hatred and prejudice go unchecked, and how far it can ultimately go.
"And whilst not all hatred and prejudice leads to a genocide, they all start at that point.
"This message and learning are critical because this is what we did as humans, and this is what we must not do as humans.”
Mr Lopez-Salzedo also addressed the rise of hate crimes and prejudice in recent years, and said: "We’ve sadly seen a significant increase in anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim hatred in the UK. We’ve seen troubles on the streets, and this is just another reminder of how we need to learn not to hate and not to carry prejudice.
"The key thing that we’ve learnt from the Holocaust and from subsequent genocides is that we need to do better.
"We need to not carry our hate and prejudice so we can make a better world and be nicer to each other."
This year’s commemorations will include both national and local events.
The UK’s national commemoration will be broadcast on BBC One at 7:00 PM on January 27th, and at 8:00 PM, individuals across the country are encouraged to participate in the “Light the Darkness” moment by safely lighting a candle and placing it in their window.
Iconic buildings, including the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh Castle, and Westminster Parliament, will also be illuminated in purple to mark the occasion.
Local events are also a key part of the day’s observance, with thousands of activities taking place across the UK in schools, councils, faith groups, museums, and even prisons.