Rugby’s Member of Parliament, Mark Pawsey, has signed the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment 2017. Signing the book pledges his commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day and honouring those who were murdered during the Holocaust, and other genocides, as well as paying tribute to the extraordinary survivors who work tirelessly to educate young people.
Friday 27th January will mark the 72nd anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration and death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, the site of the largest mass murder in history. Mark has visited both Auschwitz and Rwanda, where he has worked with survivors of the Rwandan genocide in 1994.
In the lead up to and on Holocaust Memorial Day, thousands of commemorative events will be arranged by schools, faith groups and community organisations across the country to remember the victims of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides. The theme for this year’s commemorations is ‘How can life go on?’
Mark said:
“Holocaust Memorial Day marks an important to opportunity remember the awful events that took place at Auschwitz and during other genocides. During my time in Rwanda as part of Project Umubano, a Conservative Party Social Action Project, I saw the lasting effect of the Rwandan genocide on the community there. I hope that by remembering and learning from these past tragedies, we can perhaps prevent future ones.”
Mark continued:
“The Holocaust Educational Trust also organise the “Lessons from Auschwitz” project, which is run in conjunction with schools across the country. It gives sixth-form students the chance to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau and to reflect on the terrible events that took place there. I know how moving this trip can be, as I myself have visited Auschwitz and last year my daughter took part in this project. I have recently contacted schools in Rugby to encourage them to take part in this unique opportunity.”
Mark concluded:
“The work that has been done by the survivors of these tragedies is inspirational and I would encourage everybody to take a moment to remember the Holocaust and other genocides. With fierce conflicts still ongoing in the world, the work of charities like the Holocaust Memorial Trust remains as important as ever.”
Karen Pollock MBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, added:
“Our mission is to educate young people from every background about the Holocaust and its contemporary relevance. We are very grateful to Mark for signing the Book of Commitment, signalling a continued commitment to remembering the victims of the Holocaust as well as challenging antisemitism, prejudice and bigotry in all its forms.”