Karen Bradley pledged her commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day this week by signing a Book of Commitment in the House of Commons to honour those who perished in the Holocaust.The 27th January marks the 66th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration and extermination camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau and the Holocaust Educational Trust placed a Book of Commitment in the House of Commons to give MPs the opportunity to remember those who were persecuted and murdered during the Holocaust - and to support the sharing and safeguarding of 'Untold Stories', learning from survivors' experiences to help create a future free from hatred and prejudice.
In doing so Karen paid tribute to those remarkable individuals who survived the appalling events of the Holocaust and have since dedicated their lives to educating younger generations about the dangers of allowing persecution and intolerance to take hold in society.
Karen said "It's the tenth year of commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day in the UK this year, and 66 years since Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated. We still have anti-semitism and racism in our society. We mustn't lose the lessons of that awful place and the extraordinary 'Untold Stories' of those who survived are very important. They give us the opportunity to reflect on the evil that was perpetrated during the Holocaust and we should also think of other genocides and pledge to create a brighter future That includes telling our children about them."
On and around Holocaust Memorial Day, schools, local communities and faith groups from across the UK will join together to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. Thousands of events are being held across the country to commemorate all those who suffered at the hands of the Nazis during the Holocaust and in subsequent genocides. The aim of the day is to motivate people - individually and collectively, to ensure that the horrendous crimes, racism and victimisation committed during the Holocaust are neither forgotten nor repeated.
Karen Pollock, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said:
"We are delighted that Karen is supporting Holocaust Memorial Day. As the number of survivors dwindles, remembering the Holocaust and passing on their testimony is more crucial than ever. Reflecting on 'Untold Stories' helps give back voices to those who were persecuted and reinforces the contemporary lessons that can be learnt from this dark period in our history."