| SCHOOLCHILDREN, councillors and members of the Thurrock community have come together today (Thursday 27 January) to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day at a special service.At the annual event at Palmers Rest Garden, Grays, pupils from Belmont Castle Academy, Grays Convent High School and Woodside Academy read poems and prayers. The Mayor of Thurrock Cllr Sue Shinnick, Cabinet Member for Communities Cllr Deb Huelin, Cllr John Kent and Reverend Canon Darren Barlow also paid tribute. Young people from Lansdowne Primary Academy, Hathaway Academy and The Prince’s Trust stood among the members of the community who attended.Cllr Huelin said: “Holocaust Memorial Day is a day for everyone including the Thurrock community to remember the victims of the Holocaust and further genocides, including the Jewish people and millions who have been targeted because of their disability, faith, gender, culture and sexual orientation. 27 January also marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945.”This year’s theme, One Day, gives us the opportunity to reflect in a number of ways, such as the hope that there may be One Day in the future without genocide. Other ways that this theme can be interpreted include looking at One Day in history to explore further or thinking about One Day when life changed for the victims of genocide. I also encourage you to light a candle on the evening of 27 January in remembrance.” In 2020, Thurrock Council adopted the working definition of antisemitism as set out by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. More information about Holocaust Memorial Day can be found at thurrock.gov.uk/equality-and-fairness/holocaust-memorial-day |
