Thousands vow to stand up to hatred

By David Higgerson on Jan 27, 09 03:48 PM

Thousands of people across the UK will mark Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) on 27 January 2009, which this year takes as its theme 'Stand up to Hatred'. HMD falls on the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi concentration camp, and commemorates all the victims of Nazi persecution and those oppressed in subsequent genocides.

The 'Stand up to Hatred' theme links the past to the present; the Holocaust took the lives of approximately 11 million men, women and children, and many more millions have been killed in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and today in Darfur. Genocide is the result of state-sponsored hatred, and, although the UK today is not Nazi occupied Europe in the mid-20th century, hate crime here is on the increase.

Dr Stephen Smith, Chair of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT) said:
"It is vitally important we take this opportunity to encourage communities and individuals to remember the lessons of the Holocaust, Nazi persecution and more recent genocides around the world. Holocaust Memorial Day 2009 urges people to choose to 'Stand up to Hatred' and help make our communities stronger and safer. The Holocaust and all subsequent genocides provide a powerful warning of where hatred can lead us if left unchecked. People are still attacked, discriminated against, persecuted and bullied because of who they are - because of their religion, sexuality, race or disability and we need to do something to prevent it from continuing."

Fifty thousand hate crimes were reported to the police in 2006, but estimates put the true figure closer to 260,000. People are regularly discriminated against due to their race, gender, religion or disability and HMDT is urging the public to learn lessons from the Holocaust and subsequent genocides, and understand that this is where hatred can lead if it is left unchecked.

Specifically, HMDT is asking everyone across the UK to 'Stand up to Hatred', by:

Refusing to stand by and allow others to commit acts of hatred
Stopping the use of discriminatory language
Stopping others from using discriminatory language
Remembering those affected by persecution, and
Replacing hatred with respect and understanding

The theme for 2009 has attracted high profile support across the UK. Pop sensation and Strictly Come Dancing finalist, Rachel Stevens, said: "The Holocaust, and the terrible hate motivated atrocities that took place, are something that we can now look back and learn from. When I was asked to support HMD09 it was my privilege to get involved. If by helping to build awareness people are encouraged to react differently today and that helps to build a better future, then that can only be a positive step forward."

The national commemoration for HMD09 will be held in Coventry on Sunday 25 January at the Belgrade Theatre, and will see local people attend alongside dignitaries, survivors of recent genocides and conflict, and survivors of Nazi persecution.

As well as the commemoration, a series of events will be taking place in Coventry throughout January:

A piece of art containing hundreds of pairs of donated shoes has been commissioned, to provide a visual representation of the shoes which those people who perished at Nazi concentration camps were made to remove before they died
Individuals, community groups and local businesses will be planting 110,000 snowdrops across the city, each one representing 100 people who lost their lives in the Nazi campaign of hatred
The "Anne Frank+ You" exhibition has been set up at Coventry Cathedral, in partnership with the Anne Frank Trust UK
A 'Stand up to Hatred' walk will be open to the general public and will take place on Saturday, 24 January. The walk will take in specially commissioned pieces of artwork for HMD, and pieces created by local schoolchildren in conjunction with Holocaust survivors
Public performances of choral pieces and other, free exhibitions, focusing on Holocaust Memorial Day

Schools, colleges, prisons and community groups across the UK have been getting involved with HMD09, using information and guidance packs and a short film available free of charge and on the HMDT website, Hundreds of events will be taking place across the UK to commemorate the day.

For further information about the Coventry event, other HMD09 events across the UK, or to light a virtual candle in support of the campaign, visit www.hmd.org.uk.