Alun Cairns: “The importance of saying no to hatred and prejudice”
Welsh Secretary marks Holocaust Memorial Day.
Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns has today (27 January) paid tribute to those who died in the Holocaust, and to the survivors working tirelessly to share their stories of courage with future generations.
Holocaust Memorial Day (27 January) is a national event dedicated to the remembrance of the victims of genocide and to the honour of the survivors of hatred regimes around the world. The theme for the 2018 commemorations is “The Power of Words”.
In 2018, with continued support and funding of the UK Government, the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust will be reaching out to more people than ever before. It will be organising more events than ever before. And it will be publishing and sharing more words than ever before.
In his own words, Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns underlines the importance of learning lessons from the tragic events of the Holocaust.
Alun Cairns said:
The power of words cannot be underestimated. They can entertain us, educate us, unite us, and uplift us. But, also, how they can wound and divide us - and even drive some towards hatred and violence.
Every year we hear the words of genocide survivors, sharing their most harrowing memories so that we can understand the importance of saying no to prejudice.
In a fragile world, it is more important than ever that we listen to those words and to educate the next generation about the dangers of hatred.
This part of our shared history must be remembered and commemorated. On Holocaust Memorial Day, we must all take the opportunity to reflect upon the ways in which we live our lives and look at how we can create better, stronger communities together so that the events of our past are never repeated again.
The Holocaust Educational Trust works with schools, colleges and communities across the UK to educate about the Holocaust and its contemporary relevance.
Read more about Holocaust Memorial Day