On 27 January each year, people throughout the United Kingdom unite to reflect on the six million Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust, alongside the millions of people who lost their lives under Nazi persecution of other groups, as well as those in more recent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur.
The theme for International Holocaust Memorial Day (IHMD) this year is 'Bridging Generations,' - a reminder that the responsibility of remembrance doesn't end with the survivors - it lives on through their children, their grandchildren and through all of us.
This theme encourages us all to engage actively with the past - to listen, to learn and to carry those lessons forward. By doing so, we build a bridge between memory and action, between history and hope for the future.
As the years pass, we’re growing more distant in time from the Holocaust and from the other, more recent genocides that are commemorated on HMD. That distance brings a risk – memory fades and the sharp reality of what happened becomes blurred, abstract or even questioned.
As the nation’s number one sport, football has the power to bring people together in so many ways, can eradicate social barriers and be a force for good across communities. One of our key commitments is to do everything in our power to deliver a game free from discrimination and that will never stop which is why IHMD is so important.
International Holocaust Memorial Day is for everyone. It brings people together from all walks of life to strengthen communities and stand up against hatred and discrimination.
On Tuesday, millions across the nation will pay tribute to those murdered because for who they were. The commemorations will culminate with the Light the Darkness National Moment at 8pm. Everyone is encouraged to light a candle and place it securely in their window. This gesture is not just an act of remembrance but also a powerful demonstration of solidarity with people facing persecution today.
Many thanks to the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust for their support on this feature. To learn more about their work, please visit https://www.hmd.org.uk/
