Holocaust Memorial Day dawned on Friday 27^th January. The event in Worcester was well-attended, and everyone participating was amazing. The theme “Ordinary people” – as victims, as perpetrators, as bystanders, witnesses and rescuers, clearly caught the imagination of all present.

After a welcome from the Lord Mayor, the Deputy Lieutenant, and the MP for Worcester, students from 7 schools had speaking roles: Christopher Whitehead, King’s, Nunnery Wood, Bishop Perowne, Tudor Grange, Blessed Edward Oldcorne, and New College. These touched on more recent genocides as well as WWII. In addition, Royal Grammar School exhibited some of the artwork they had been working on: the pictures of “Ordinary people” exhibited in a suitcase – memory of what they took to the camps – were especially moving. RGS also gave us a wonderful musical contribution: the song “Schlof mein Fegele”, arranged by their Musical Director.

One attendee said this:

Today’s Memorial event was, I think, the most thoughtful and profound I have attended in Worcester. The contribution of the youngsters from all the schools was very remarkable indeed, and few can have been unmoved by the musical contribution of the students from RGS.

The speaker was Dr Mindu Hornick, who was taken to Auschwitz at the age of 12. It is very moving to hear from someone who was there. We kept 2 minutes silence together, and the Statement of Commitment was led by 3 members of the community with all joining in the final paragraph:

            “We commit ourselves, in a spirit of friendship and cooperation, to work alongside all who share our values and ideals, to help bring about a better world now and for generations to come.”

A powerful and moving event indeed! We are grateful to the Lord Mayor and the Guildhall for hosting us. It was a privilege for the Interfaith Forum to be leading on this event.