Medway’s communities will come together in memory of the millions of people who lost their lives during the Holocaust.
Memorial services will be held across the country to honour those who were affected by the Holocaust ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day on Saturday, 27 January. Medway’s Holocaust Memorial Day event will be held at Chatham Memorial Synagogue, on Thursday, 25 January from 5.30pm.
Every year the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust suggests a theme for services and this year they’ve chosen ‘Fragility of Freedom’. The theme highlights that freedom means different things to different people and encourages us to consider what we can all do to strengthen freedoms around the world and pledge not to take our freedom for granted.
Since 2004, Medway’s commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day has been organised jointly by Medway Council, Chatham Memorial Synagogue, Rochester Cathedral and the Medway Inter-Faith Action Forum. In 2010 they were joined by the Medway Youth Council. These five organisations are committed to ensuring that the Holocaust and other human atrocities are never forgotten.
The event will include presentations, readings, poetry and prayers from local schools, religious communities, Medway Youth Council, Medway Inter-Faith Action and Kent Police.
Take the time to remember
Cllr Vince Maple, Leader of Medway Council, said: “It is important we take the time to remember victims of the Holocaust and subsequent atrocities. Freedom is the foundation that our modern world is built upon, but it is also something that is always under threat. This year’s theme is very poignant and I would encourage everyone to take a moment of their day to reflect on what freedom means to them and to think of those affected by conflict.”
Find out more about Medway’s Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations.