Building a better future this Holocaust Memorial Day
Monday 27 January marks Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD), the international day dedicated to victims of genocide.
This year, HMD marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp.
It’s a day when we remember the millions of people murdered because of something that made them who they were – for example their ethnicity or faith.
We remember the 6 million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, alongside the millions of other people killed under Nazi Persecution and in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda and Darfur.
This year’s HMD also marks the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia.
HMD is an opportunity to carry forward the legacy of everyone who lost their life to genocide by remembering our common humanity and challenging those who would distort or deny the past, or who discriminate and persecute today.
For a better future
The theme of this year’s HMD is ‘For a Better Future’.
Reflecting on the rise of anti-semitism, hatred and intolerance in our society 80 years after the tragedy of Holocaust, this theme builds on all the things we can do to protect vulnerable communities, come together, learn both from and about the past, and take actions to make sure it is never repeated.
The theme reminds us that genocides never just happen. They begin slowly, with insidious stages such as propaganda, ‘othering’ and dehumanisation, where those who are targeted for persecution have their freedom restricted and removed before many of them are murdered.
Genocide develops in stages that are predictable – but not inevitable. It’s up to us to learn how to identify the warning signs in the world around us and take preventive measures to stop it.
As well as learning about the Holocaust and more recent genocides and using reputable resources to do so, there are many more things we can all do to create a better future.
We must speak up against Holocaust and genocide denial and distortion, actively challenge racism, hatred and prejudice wherever we find it and, when witnessing a hate crime, report it to the police and the relevant bodies.
To learn more about this year’s theme and explore the moving stories of genocide survivors, visit the HMD website.
Commemorating at the council
The council supported the Brighton & Hove Holocaust Education Project and Latest TV in commemorating the day, with an event held at the council chambers in Hove Town Hall on Friday 24 January.
The event comprised of speeches, short films and moving performances by local and international artists.
Participants included members of Brighton & Hove’s Jewish community, Deputy Mayor of Brighton & Hove Councillor Amanda Grimshaw, Cabinet member for Communities, Equalities and Human Rights Councillor Leslie Pumm, Chief Executive of Brighton and Hove City Council, Jess Gibbons, as well as Sussex Police and special guests.
In recent years, Latest TV has filmed dozens of films covering the art, music, poetry and literature of survivors as well as interviews, all of which are available online on Latest TV’s Holocaust Memorial Day vimeo channel.
Marking HMD in the city
Light a candle of hope vigil
- 12.30pm to 5pm, Monday 27 January
- Friends' Meeting House, Ship Street, Brighton, BN1 1AF
Brighton Quakers invite everybody to join them to light candles and remember all the people who have died in genocides around the world. This is a drop-in event and people can stay for as long they want. The vigil will be in silence and there will be a small display of information and an opportunity for people to record their thoughts.
Find out more on Holocaust Memorial Day website.
A week of events with the University of Sussex
- 2pm to 5.15pm, Wednesday 5 February – Holocaust Memorial Day at Sussex
- 12 noon to 3.30pm, Friday 7 February – Remembering the Roma Holocaust
- 5.30pm to 7.30pm, Monday 10 February – Inclusive Sussex: In Conversation with Gary Younge
A week of events planned at the University of Sussex to support learning around Holocaust Memorial Day. Find out more and explore the individual events on the University of Sussex website.
Shaping a better tomorrow
Councillor Leslie Pumm, Cabinet member for Communities, Equalities and Human Rights, said: “Holocaust Memorial Day is an opportunity to pause and reflect on one of the darkest chapters in history: an era in which ordinary people were systematically persecuted, stripped of their rights, their dignity, and, ultimately, their lives.
“This year’s Holocaust Memorial Day marks the 80th anniversary of liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp.
“Growing up in Berlin, a city close to the places where the most unspeakable things happened, I was reminded every year as a young boy of what happens when society as a whole fails to fight anti-semitism, racism and homophobia.
“I will never forget the heartache and horror I felt when I visited concentration camps. Sachsenhausen, Auschwitz and Dachau are some of the cruellest places, but serve as reminders to the world.
“The Holocaust teaches us that silence can be as dangerous as active persecution. Standing by, without protest, allows injustice to take root.
“It is our responsibility to speak up for those who are marginalised or targeted because of who they are. This commitment extends beyond our duty to remember the past—it is a powerful mandate to protect the vulnerable in our midst right now.
“Let us use the commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day to reaffirm our collective duty to combat antisemitism, racism, Islamophobia and all other forms of hatred.
“As we reflect on this year’s theme, For a Better Future, let us be reminded that the future is not fixed; it depends on our actions. If we learn from those who suffered in the past, we can shape a tomorrow defined by mutual respect, empathy and unity.”