The Foreign Secretary will today [27 January] co-host a reception
with the Her Excellency the Ambassador of Israel to the United
Kingdom to mark Holocaust Memorial Day and the 80th anniversary
of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.
Prior to the commemoration, the Foreign Secretary will meet
Holocaust survivor Janine Webber BEM, who survived the Holocaust
as child in occupied Poland, enduring the tragic loss of her
parents and brother at the hands of the Nazis.
The commemoration will showcase innovative approaches to
Holocaust education. These include Testimony 360, a virtual
reality programme preserving survivor testimonies for future
generations, and ‘In Their Footsteps', a powerful exhibition
featuring 3D-printed shoes that symbolise Holocaust
remembrance.
Foreign Secretary is expected to
say:
“‘Never again' is a solemn promise, which
we owe to the victims, but also which we must uphold for our own
sake and for the sake of future generations.”
“We need Holocaust remembrance. Holocaust
education. Action against antisemitism.
“It is how we build a better future for
all.”
A high-level UK delegation, including senior government
officials, His Majesty The King and Holocaust survivors, will
join world leaders today at the Auschwitz-Birkenau commemoration
ceremony in Poland today.
As part of the UK's commitment to Holocaust remembrance, the
Prime Minister pledged at least £2.2 million in September to
continue to fund the Holocaust Educational Trust's Lessons from
Auschwitz project, enabling UK students to visit Auschwitz and
learn about the history of the Holocaust.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- Holocaust Memorial Day is marked annually on 27 January. As
set out by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, the Holocaust is
central to Holocaust Memorial Day and we remember the six million
Jews murdered during the Holocaust. It also commemorates the
millions more people murdered through the Nazi persecution of
other groups and in the more recent genocides of Rwanda,
Srebrenica, and acts of genocide in Cambodia and against the
Yazidi people.
- The UK currently holds the presidency of the International
Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, until 28 February.
- See more information about Holocaust Memorial
Day, and Janine Webber BEM.
- All imagery from the event and the Foreign Secretary's
attendance will be available on flickr, following its
conclusion.
- Remarks from the Foreign Secretary's speech will be available
on gov.uk shortly after
the event.
