REDDITCH came together last Saturday for Holocaust Memorial Day to remember the millions murdered by genocide and to say with one voice ‘never again’.
Holocaust Memorial Day exists to help us to honour the memory of all victims of genocide and atrocity in the world and to strive to ensure that we do not allow such things to occur again.
It remembers the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, alongside the millions killed under Nazi persecution of other groups as well as the people who died in genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur.
This year’s theme of ‘ordinary people’ aims to highlight the roles ordinary people have played in genocide and how we all, as ordinary people, might play bigger parts than we imagine in challenging prejudice today.
The towns MP, Mayor and councillors were joined by the community to honour the memory of the millions killed under the Nazi persecution.
The crowds started outside the Town Hall in Walter Stranz Square and walked to the Holocaust Memorial Marker in Church Green.
Rachel Maclean MP read a poem, entitled ‘Genocide is facilitated by ordinary people’.
She said: “As each year passes and the Holocaust moves from living history, to just history, it becomes even more important we take the time to remember the victims and pay tribute to the survivors.
“Let us stand together against prejudice, hostility, and division in the world today.”
Diana Cross played ‘Meditation’ by Thais during the lighting of the Candle and placing of the roses.
Coun Peter Fleming, who chaired the committee that organised the event said: “Many communities were able to stand together, which exemplifies what is special about Redditch.
“Once again Redditch comes together to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.
“This year we have an interactive luggage tag exhibit, and we can all take part.
“A luggage tag is such an ordinary object, and it aims to prompt us to reflect that any genocide, especially on the horrific scale of the Holocaust, must involve lots of ordinary people.
“The ordinary people who let it happen, the ordinary people who actively perpetrated it, and the ordinary people who were persecuted. It’s an important, sobering message that reminds us why it matters to remember the lessons of the past, together as a community, so we never allow it to happen again.”
