Barking Town Hall (credit: Google Maps)
The borough’s civic, faith and political leaders are joining for a special online video which will also see the commemorative flag being raised above the Town Hall tomorrow.
Due to the pandemic, the council are encouraging residents in the borough to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day in a safe way at home.
‘Be the light in the darkness’ is this year’s theme to encourages everyone to reflect on the depth’s humanity can sink to, but also the ways individuals and communities resisted that darkness to ‘be the light’ before, during and after genocide.
The date marks the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest concentration camp in occupied Poland.
It is a day for everyone to remember the six million Jewish people murdered in the Holocaust, and the millions of people killed under Nazi persecution, and in genocides which followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur.
Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community Leadership and Engagement, Cllr Saima Ashraf said: “As a borough, it is so important that we remember the six million Jews who were murdered under Nazi persecution, and in genocides which followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
“This year’s theme is ‘Be the light in the darkness’ and I hope our residents will reflect on this and the many lives that were lost, whilst also challenging prejudice, discrimination and hatred that continues in our society today.
“There is no place for hate and division in Barking and Dagenham and today is an opportunity for us all, even though we cannot do it person, but come together in spirit and in solidarity.”
The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust will be holding an online event at 7pm tomorrow.
More information on this event can be found here.
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Tags: Dagenham, Barking, Barking and Dagenham
