Holocaust Memorial Day is for Everyone

On 27th January each year, we pause to remember the millions of people who have been murdered or whose lives have been changed beyond recognition during the Holocaust, under the Nazi persecution and the subsequent genocide in Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda and Darfur. We honour the survivors of those regimes of hatred and we use Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) as an opportunity to reflect on the ways in which we live our lives today. HMD offers us all the chance to learn lessons of the past to create a safer, better future.

HMD has been commemorated in the UK since 2001, and in 2005 the United Nations declared 27th January as an International day for remembrance and contemporary action. Fylde Central Benefits and Services Branch will be having stands in the coffee lounge at Warbreck House and Peel Park coffee lounge, PCS will be joining together with millions of people all over the world on HMD, the aim is to build communities which are free from the dangers of discrimination and persecution and in doing so, ensure that the horrendous crimes of the past are neither forgotten or repeated.

Genocide doesn’t just happen. It begins when the differences between us stop being celebrated and respected. Genocide is an act of extreme exclusion, when state-sponsored regime of hatred is allowed to proceed unchecked.

We are not facing the dangers of Pol Pot’s Cambodia but the evils of prejudice, discrimination and exclusion are present around us today and we all have a choice – you can choose to stand by and do nothing or you can speak out against anyone who bullies, stereotypes, persecutes or attacks those who are different to them. PCS is against any form of extreme exclusion, bulling, harassment and discrimination whether it is against our brothers and sisters whose lives have been lost during the holocaust or in the workplace when differences are not respected and actions are allowed to proceed unchecked.

We will advertise our event in due course.