The Mayor of Croydon invites residents and colleagues to join the Annual Holocaust Memorial Ceremony on Thursday 27 January via a webinar streamed from Council Town Hall.
The ceremony will remember the survivors and experiences of the Holocaust and all genocides in human history, reaffirming the Croydon’s commitment to their poignant lessons for modern day justice and equality. In particular, this day of memorial honours the victims of the Holocaust, Nazi Persecution and subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
The one hour virtual event will begin at 12:00pm with an address by the Mayor, council leaders, and presentations by students at Oasis Coulsdon and Riddlesdown Collegiate.
Also joining the webinar, are Marilyn Abisman from Croydon Synagogue, Helen Stone who will share her mother’s Holocaust survival story and the Brundibar Digital Opera Project team – an opera first performed by Jewish children in occupied Prague and then later in the Nazi camp, Terrizen.
The Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) will announce the winner of its competition for Croydon schools, which encourages contemplation on the annual Holocaust Memorial Day theme. This year, students were invited to create a short story, essay, poem, painting or short film on the 2022 theme – One Day.
This theme was chosen globally in recognition of single days in history, snapshots of individual experiences and the importance of learning so that one day the horrific events of the past may never again be repeated.
Join the event to hear these stories and the current reflections of residents, students, and organisations looking to create a just future for all.
“On Holocaust Memorial Day we remind ourselves of our Croydon’s pledge to honour the survivors still among us and to work to prevent future persecution. The scars and lessons of horrific past events remain with us, both from the Holocaust and genocide across the world.
“We also remember those who did not stand by and take their courage as inspiration for our own commitment to the opposition of racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia and discrimination on the grounds of disability, age, gender, nationality or religion.”
Councillor Sherwan Chowdhury, Mayor of Croydon
