Bridging Generations this Holocaust Memorial Day
Tuesday 27 January marks Holocaust Memorial Day(HMD), the international day dedicated to victims of genocide.
It’s a day when we remember the 6 million Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust, alongside the millions of other people killed under Nazi persecution, as well as those killed in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
HMD is an opportunity to carry forward the legacy of every single person 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.
‘Bridging Generations’
The theme of this year’s HMD, ‘Bridging Generations’, is a call to action and a reminder that the responsibility of remembrance doesn't end with the survivors – it lives on through their children and grandchildren and all of us.
Bridging Generations highlights the crucial role of the next generation in preserving the memory of the Holocaust and carrying it forward. It highlights the power of intergenerational dialogue – of listening to those who came before us and of sharing those stories with those who come after.
Genocide doesn’t discriminate by age: infants, children, adults and the elderly have all experienced unimaginable suffering in various ways. In many cases, entire family lines were erased.
Bridging Generations invites us to honour each and every life – and to honour those who left no family to carry on their legacy.
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 supports the Brighton & Hove Holocaust Education Project and Latest TV in commemorating the day with a multi-faith event, which will be held in the council chambers in Hove Town Hall on Tuesday 27 January.
This year, the event will comprise speeches and moving performances, as well as excerpts from the new documentary film, ‘Doris’, in memory of Doris Levinson, who founded the Holocaust Education Project and engaged with schools to become involved, embodying this year’s theme, ‘Bridging Generations’.
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 Holocaust Memorial Day in Brighton & Hove
Light a candle of hope vigil
- 12.30pm to 5pm, Tuesday 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.
Annual Holocaust Memorial Day event at University of Sussex
1.15pm to 6.15pm, Wednesday 4 February
Online event
- 1.15pm: Testimony from Holocaust Survivor, Malka Levine
- 3pm: Screening of 2 short films, Humo (Smoke) and Girl No. 60427
- 5pm: Online launch of the Digital Memory Database
Learn more about the events and how to access the webcast on the University of Sussex website.
Shaping a better tomorrow
Councillor Mitchie Alexander, Cabinet member for Communities, Equalities, Public Health and Adult Social Care, said: “We mark Holocaust Memorial Day every year to honour and commemorate the 6 million Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust, alongside the millions of other people killed under Nazi persecution, as well as those killed in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
“This year’s theme, ‘Bridging Generations’ recognises the transformative power of empathy and human connection.
“First-hand accounts deepen our emotional connection to the tragedy in a way no textbook ever will. They move us, they challenge us and they stand as a powerful defence against the denial and distortion of history.
“But, sadly, we do not need to travel back in time to witness cruelty and human suffering that comes as a result of injustice, hatred and fear.
“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.”