Caption: The theme of this year's Holocaust Memorial Day is 'Speak Up Speak Out'
This year’s Holocaust Memorial Day event is to take place at Leeds Town Hall next week.
The free annual event open to all takes place from 1:30pm on Sunday 29 January, marking the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenhau which occurred on January 27 1945.
The event will be hosted by the Lord Mayor of Leeds Councillor Reverend Alan Taylor and will include speakers, artwork, live music and performances with the theme being ‘Speak Up Speak Out’. The Lord Mayor will light a candle to commemorate all those who have been affected by the Holocaust and more recent genocides such as those in Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda and Darfur.
The Lord Mayor of Leeds Councillor Reverend Alan Taylor said:
“Holocaust Memorial Day allows us to honour survivors of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides and join together in remembrance. It’s an opportunity to try and learn lessons from history so it doesn’t repeat itself. Without those who spoke up in the past we would not have the freedoms we have today.”
The keynote address will be given by Leeds West MP Rachel Reeves, who last year joined a party of Leeds and Yorkshire school pupils on a visit to Auschwitz-Birkenhau organised by the Holocaust Educational Trust.
Member of Parliament for Leeds West Rachel Reeves said:
“It is important that as a city we remember what happened and learn the lessons of history from it.”
The East Leeds FM Next Generation group of young people will be performing at the event, having been inspired by talking with Moortown resident Iby Knill about her experiences as a Holocaust survivor.
Leeds has applied for ‘City of Sanctuary’ status and is creating a network of people and organisations to ensure Leeds is open and welcoming to anyone in need of protection. The Leeds City of Sanctuary bid team will be contributing to the event and highlighting how the lessons from the Holocaust remain relevant today.
The Holocaust Memorial Day event in Leeds is coordinated by Leeds City Council’s arts and regeneration unit. For more information visit www.leeds.gov.uk/arts
Nationally, Holocaust Memorial Day is organised by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. For more information on this year’s theme and the aim of bringing communities together to make a fair and safe society visit http://hmd.org.uk/
ENDS
Morwenna Rowlands, Arts and Regeneration,
Leeds City Council on 0113 2478234
Email: Morwenna.rowlands@leeds.gov.uk
