Eastbourne Holocaust Memorial Day goes online

An online hub showing community videos of speeches, poetry and music will be hosted to commemorate the national day.

The annual event, recognised across the UK, remembers the millions of people murdered in the Holocaust and in the genocides which followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

With the usual memorial event unable to go ahead this year because of Covid-19 restrictions, Eastbourne Borough Council is launching the hub on Friday, January 22, to run until Monday, February 1.

Carolyn Heaps, the council’s faith champion, said, “While we are unable to get together in person this year in remembrance of those who were murdered in the Holocaust and subsequent genocides, this in no way diminishes of our strength of feeling for them or our commitment to ensure these atrocities never happen again.

“This year’s theme ‘Be the light in the darkness’ asks us to stand in solidarity against hatred and hostility and in these challenging times this sentiment is particularly poignant and will chime with many of us.

“So I encourage everyone to get involved by using our online hub at www.lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk/HMD which contains a wonderful array of videos of poems, speeches, musical performances by members of the community, including a speech from Holocaust survivor Dorit Oliver-Wolff BEM, as well as from our MP, Caroline Ansell, and the mayor Steve Wallis.”

She also urges people to watch Holocaust Memorial Day Trust’s UK Ceremony online on Wednesday, January 27 from 7pm to 8pm. People need to register in advance to gain access to the virtual ceremony here: hmd.org.uk/uk-holocaust-memorial-day-2021-ceremony/

Last year more than 400 people came together to mark Holocaust Memorial Day at the Welcome Building in Devonshire Quarter.

For more information about Holocaust Memorial Day 2021 visit hmd.org.uk.