Tag: International Holocaust Memorial Day

UK Government announces additional funding for Holocaust Memorial Day

  • The Government has announced additional funding to support Holocaust Memorial Day 2025
  • 2025 will mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, with many Holocaust survivors expected to attend the national ceremony
  • Funding reflects the Government’s aim that the national commemorations should be seen by an audience of millions

The UK Government has announced additional funding for the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust to support the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Holocaust Memorial Day, marked each year on January 27th, is a day of reflection, remembrance, and education.

2025 will mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, which will be a particularly poignant occasion, highlighting the significance of remembering the atrocities of the past while fostering a future of understanding and unity.

Holocaust Memorial Day 2025 also marks the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica, sending a strong reminder that hatred and intolerance have continued long after the Holocaust.

Faith Minister Lord Khan said: “We are absolutely committed to ensuring the lessons of the Holocaust are never forgotten. The 80th anniversary is a time for deep reflection, and to remember the six million Jewish men, women and children murdered by the Nazis.

“This funding will enable the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust to stage an event and ensure it is broadcast to millions – matching the significance of the moment. It will enable communities across the country to take part in this moment for reflection – and to hear directly from survivors who can bear witness to the appalling crimes committed by the Nazis.”

The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust’s Chief Executive, Olivia Marks-Woldman, said: “We are delighted that the Government’s commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day Trust means that we can reach even further in this significant year. The Holocaust Memorial Day 2025 commemorations will be engaging millions of people across the UK, in local communities, on social and traditional media, and at the UK Ceremony.

“Please join us in January to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia – to learn from the past, for a better future.”

The additional funds will help facilitate broadcasting the event, broadening access to people across the country for commemoration and reflection.

Last month, in his speech to the Holocaust Education Trust, the Prime Minister set out a new “national ambition” to ensure that every young person has the opportunity to hear recorded Holocaust survivor testimony.

Ahead of its curriculum review, the Government has also committed to ensure that the Holocaust remains on the curriculum and that state schools which are not currently required to follow the national curriculum also teach the Holocaust.

The additional funding of £80,000 is in addition to an annual grant of £900,000 given to HMDT – totalling £980,000 this year – which is provided for the annual ceremony and for support for thousands of local activities up and down the country to remember the Holocaust and subsequent genocides.

Broughton High School to mark Holocaust Memorial Day

Edinburgh’s Lord Provost Councillor Donald Wilson will mark international Holocaust Memorial Day this evening (Thursday) at a special commemorative event held at Broughton High School, organised in partnership with the Edinburgh Inter-Faith Association.

A number of guest speakers will be attending for a special night of music, dance and poetry that will be held to commemorate the impact of the atrocities committed not only during the Holocaust but since.

The award winning musician and Rwandan genocide survivor, Jean Paul Samputu, who runs the Samputu Forgiveness Campaign, will be performing some of his songs as well as relaying his life changing experiences that occurred in his home nation.

Other speakers will include Edinburgh resident and Holocaust survivor,  Marianne Lazlo, who will be accompanied by other members of Edinburgh’s Jewish community, as well as Sello Hatang from the Nelson Mandela foundation. Pupils of all ages from Broughton High School will be performing readings, dance pieces, music recitals and short dramatic sketches throughout the night.

Lord Provost Donald Wilson said: “It’s vital that we never forget the horrors experienced by so many people both during the Holocaust and in subsequent genocides. I very much hope that we can all continue to work together to eradicate persecution from our society. This event is a special way to mark Holocaust Memorial Day and having the chance to hear from people with first hand experience of such atrocities will be undoubtedly a very moving and humbling experience.”

Broughton High School head teacher, John Wilson, said; “It is a privilege for Broughton High School to host this event and to be working in partnership with City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh Inter-Faith Association. This is a real opportunity for us as a school to underline our commitment to addressing prejudice and discrimination at all levels. Senior pupils at Broughton High School and the Inter Faith organisation have planned what will be a remarkable and memorable event held within our community.”

BroughtonHS

Holocaust Memorial Day on Sunday 27 January is run by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust – a charity which works to raise awareness of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides to provide an opportunity to learn the lesson and apply them to the present day to create a safer, better future. 

The Edinburgh Inter-Faith Association was officially formed in 1989 to promote and facilitate positive engagement between the faith communities of our religiously and culturally diverse city. The EIFA is now considered one of the most experienced and developed Inter-Faith bodies in the U.K.