Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Coming together to mark Holocaust Memorial Day
IAN BUNTING
Councillors, school pupils, dignitaries and special guests joined forces to remember everyone affected by the horrors of the Holocaust.
North Lanarkshire Council’s headquarters at Motherwell civic centre hosted a ceremony to mark International Holocaust Memorial Day.
The theme of this year’s event was “Stand Together” and North Lanarkshire Provost Jean Jones and Danielle Bett of the Jewish Leadership Council jointly raised the Holocaust memorial flag in front of pupils from Chryston, Motherwell’s Our Lady’s and Dalziel secondary schools, councillors and staff.
The Provost, Councillor Heather Brannan- McVey and Des Murray, council chief executive, then each signed the Stockholm Declaration, which commits to remembering the six million Jewish victims and the millions of other people who have fallen victim of Holocausts around the world.
Provost Jones said: “We are proud to adopt the declaration principles of education, remembrance and research here in North Lanarkshire, so that the Holocaust is never ever forgotten.
“By signing the declaration, we are pledging to help educate people of the very real impact of such harrowing events and try to help prevent future genocides.”
Danielle Bett of the Jewish Leadership Council added: “This year was an especially poignant occasion as it is also the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the AuschwitzBirkenau concentration camp during the Second World War; and 25 years since the Bosnian genocide.
“It’s absolutely crucial that we learn from the past and that we work together to remember the horrors of the holocaust to ensure it can never happen again.”