Holocaust Memorial Day marked with special event at park
Victims and survivors of the Holocaust were remembered at a special Memorial Day event at Howden Park Centre.
Holocaust Memorial Day is a day to remember the millions of people killed under Nazi persecution and in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and the ongoing genocide in Darfur.
Each year, the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust chooses a different theme to enable people to learn something new about the past.
The theme this year was Ordinary People, with the focus on how genocide is facilitated by ordinary people.
Ordinary people can turn a blind eye, believe propaganda and join murderous regimes, while those who are persecuted, oppressed and murdered in genocide aren’t persecuted because of crimes they’ve committed – they are persecuted simply because of who they are and/or who they love. The Howden Park event on Friday,
January 27, was opened by West Lothian Council leader Councillor Lawrence Fitzpatrick, followed by Joe Miller from the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust who introduced a screening of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust film,‘Ordinary People’.
The event also featured readings and presentations by pupils from Armadale Academy, St Kentigern’s Academy and West Calder High as well as performances from the West Lothian Schools Flute Ensemble.
Lord Julian Goodman of the Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation led a memorial prayer before Provost Cathy Muldoon closed the event.
Provost Muldoon said:“As the years go by it becomes ever more important that we remember those lost in the Holocaust. We must ensure that hatred, discrimination and racism are never again allowed to dictate our fates.”
You can find out more about Holocaust Memorial Day at www.hmd.org.uk/