The Mission Statement for the UK Holocaust Memorial
Foundation, published today (4 December 2018), vows that
the national Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre will
reaffirm Britain’s commitment to stand up against
antisemitism, prejudice and hatred in all its forms.
UK Holocaust Memorial Mission Statement
The United Kingdom Holocaust Memorial is the UK’s national
establishment for remembrance of the Holocaust. It is
dedicated to the 6 million Jewish men, women and children
murdered in the Holocaust and all other victims of the
Nazis and their collaborators.
The Memorial will stand as a reminder of the horrors of the
past and will encourage reflection on their implications
for British government and society, both at the time and
subsequently. The view of Parliament from the Memorial will
serve as a permanent reminder that political decisions have
far-reaching consequences. By setting history’s worst
example of the disintegration of democratic values against
the greatest emblem of Britain’s aspirations for democracy,
it will stand as a permanent reminder of the
responsibilities of citizens in a democracy to be vigilant
and responsive whenever and wherever those values are
threatened.
We seek to preserve the memory of the Holocaust whilst also
considering its contemporary relevance. The Holocaust – the
murder of Europe’s Jews by Nazi Germany and its
collaborators – remains unsurpassed as a historical event
in its aims and extent, yet the questions it raises have
many echoes in the modern world, including (but not
restricted to) subsequent genocides and the persistence of
antisemitism.
Deeper understanding of the Holocaust, and of Britain’s
responses to it, therefore prompts us to ask challenging
questions about human behaviour and the world around us.
The UK Holocaust Memorial will thus aim both to remember
and to encourage reflection on the lessons of the past
amongst all British citizens and visitors of all
nationalities. In dedicating itself to this mission,
Britain reaffirms its commitment to stand up against
antisemitism, prejudice and hatred in all its forms
How we will deepen understanding of the Holocaust and
Britain’s response
We seek to combine a striking architectural monument with
an engaging, reflective and powerful exhibition. This will
be founded on academic research and judicious use of
sources, combined with an experiential approach to immerse
visitors in the historical content and provoke their
critical thinking.
The display will confront the immense human calamity caused
by the destruction of Europe’s Jewish communities during
the Holocaust, arousing a sincere commitment to mourn,
remember and act. Victims will be remembered as
individuals, not nameless statistics.
The thematic exhibition will set the Holocaust within the
British narrative: historically, politically and
culturally. This narrative will be balanced, addressing the
complexities of Britain’s ambiguous responses to the
Holocaust, avoiding simplistic judgements and encouraging
visitors to critically reflect on whether more could have
been done, both by policymakers and by society as a whole.
We will work with other institutions across the UK
supporting Holocaust commemoration and education. We will
complement the permanent exhibition with online material,
drawing on the same research and sources, making links to
other relevant sites, and promoting a deeper understanding
of the Holocaust among as wide an audience as possible.
Facing history honestly requires us to question the role of
our own Parliament, government and society in the history
of the Holocaust, and recurring genocides in its aftermath.
The obligation to confront the contemporary rise of
antisemitism will not be overlooked, in light of the recent
rise of extremist views in Britain and many other
countries.
