Crawley's MP signs Holocaust Educational Trust Book of Commitment

First commemorated in 2005, on Holocaust Memorial Day we remember and pay tribute to all of those persecuted by the Nazis: Jews, Roma and Sinti people, disabled people, gay men, political opponents to the Nazis and others. We also remember all of those affected by genocide since, in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

As the Holocaust moves from living memory to history, the work of organisations such as the Holocaust Educational Trust becomes increasingly important in ensuring that future generations continue to learn of what was allowed to happen and the importance of bringing an end to genocide.

Commenting on the event, Peter Lamb said: “We must never forget the incomprehensible loss of life suffered by Jews and the many other victims of Nazi hatred during the Second World War. The Holocaust marks the darkest moment in modern history and if we are to avoid repeating it we must not only learn of what happened and the importance of challenging the views which made it possible. Only then can we ensure that it will never happen again."

Karen Pollock CBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: “This year, on Holocaust Memorial Day, we come together to mark 80 years since the liberation of the extermination and concentration camps of Europe. We remember the six million Jewish men, women, and children who were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators and we honour those who survived and rebuilt their lives after enduring unimaginable horrors.

The images and accounts that emerged at liberation revealed the full scale of the Nazis' attempt to annihilate the Jewish people and this gave rise to the enduring call 'Never Again.' This phrase em-bodies the hope that the Holocaust would serve as a stark warning to future generations of the con-sequences of unchecked hatred and antisemitism.

As we mark this significant anniversary, the lessons of the Holocaust remain as urgent as ever. With survivors becoming fewer and frailer, and with antisemitism continuing to surge across the world – we must all commit to remembering the six million Jewish victims and must take action to ensure anti-Jewish racism is never again allowed to thrive."