Croydon’s Civic Mayor has invited residents and colleagues to join him at the annual Holocaust Memorial Ceremony.

The remembrance event will be held in the Council Chamber, Croydon Town Hall, Katharine Street, on Monday 27 January at 12pm, with an introduction from the Civic Mayor, Councillor Kola Agboola.

The Worshipful, The Civic Mayor of Croydon will read the Croydon Pledge and sign a Book of Remembrance.

Penny Smith-Orr will deliver a speech on behalf of Croydon Synagogue. Executive Mayor Jason Perry will deliver remarks on the Holocaust, as will Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture, Councillor Andy Stranack.

There will be two keynote addresses from Professor Nelly Ben-Orr, a survivor of the Holocaust, and Idris, a Syrian refugee. There will also be a presentation from Oasis Academy Coulsdon.

The winners of the annual school competition will be announced at the event. The competition, run by the Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE), asked Croydon’s students to create artwork, a short story, poem, essay, or short film on the theme of the ’For a Better Future’.

The SACRE committee judged the entries and Chair of SACRE, Deputy Civic Mayor, Councillor Richard Chatterjee, will announce the winning school.

The remembrance event is open to the public, with spaces allocated on a first come, first served basis. To attend, please contact civicmayor@croydon.gov.uk

Civic Mayor of Croydon, Councillor Kola Agboola, said: “Holocaust Memorial Day is about honouring the experiences of all people affected by the Holocaust and genocide, but it’s also about learning the lessons of the past and challenging ourselves to work for a safer, better future.

“Here in Croydon, we are proud of the rich diversity of backgrounds in our community and today is a reminder that we must always stand firm against hatred and bigotry of any type, and that the horrors of the Holocaust must never happen again.”