On 27 January, the world will be marking Holocaust Memorial Day 2024.
On this day we share the memory of the millions who have been murdered in the Holocaust and subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur in order to challenge hatred and persecution in the world today.
What is Holocaust Memorial Day
Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) is observed every year on 27 January — the day the representatives from 46 governments around the world adopted in 2000, the Stockholm Declaration committing to preserving the memory of those who have been murdered in the Holocaust. This declaration became the statement of commitment which is still used as a basis for HMD activities today.
Join the ceremony
The UK Ceremony for Holocaust Memorial Day 2024 will be streamed online on at 8pm on Saturday 27 January.
Holocaust Memorial Day statement from Cllr Arthur Coote
Portfolio holder for Housing and Equalities, Cllr Arthur Coote, says a few words about Holocaust Memorial Day 2024.
"As increasing levels of polarisation and violence continue to impact our world, we encourage people to learn lessons from the past and take steps to challenge hatred and persecution.Our role is to commemorate the past and work towards a better future. We do this by promoting a world which is free from persecutions based on people's characteristics, such as faith or ethnicity. Holocaust Memorial Day is not a day for division or divisiveness, it's a day for people and communities to come together in remembrance of both those who were murdered and to remember our shared humanity.
"Holocaust Memorial Day, which usually takes place on 27 January each year, is now an established act of commemoration when people from all over the world come together to remember the destruction and devastation caused by the Holocaust and more recent genocides and persecution, to learn about the Holocaust, Nazi Persecution and the genocides that followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur, in the hope that there may be one day in the future with no genocide.
"Uttlesford District Council support this year's theme of the Fragility of Freedom, which will explore ways in which the freedoms of people targeted during genocide are restricted, showing how fragile freedom is and how we must not be complacent about it. The flag at the London Road Offices will be lowered to half-mast."
2024 theme
Fragility of Freedom is the theme for Holocaust Memorial Day 2024.
Freedom means different things to different people. What is clear is that in every genocide that has taken place, those who are targeted for persecution have had their freedom restricted and removed, before many of them are murdered.
