A commemoration was held at Birmingham City Hall to remember the victims of the Holocaust and those who survived the Holocaust and Nazi persecution, and other genocides around the world.
The commemoration was hosted by Chancellor Tristan Chatfield, Birmingham City Council’s Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, Community Safety and Equality. The commemoration was led by the Mayor of Birmingham, Yvonne Mosquito.
This year’s theme is “Torn From Home,” which encourages people to think about how losing the safe place we call “home” is part of the trauma faced by anyone who experiences persecution or genocide.
The commemorative event included testimonies from Holocaust survivors Courtenay Harris and Hannelore Napier, along with prayers and music – including performances by Kirsty Robinson, Singers Hill Youth Orchestra, Bordesley Green Girls School and British young poet, Ali Begum who read a specially commissioned poem for the event.
The honor of lighting a candle on behalf of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian community in the UK went to Lejla Gološ. Lejla is originally from Sarajevo and has lived in Birmingham for many years and supports the work of the Bosnian supplementary school as well as our entire community in Birmingham and beyond. After the commemoration, Lejla said, “It was an honor to be part of this commemoration, marking the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. I lit a candle in memory of the victims of all crimes and genocides around the world, and in memory of all those who were killed in wars, conflicts and hate crimes. We remembered the six million Jews and millions of others who were killed in the Holocaust and other genocides committed after the Second World War, including 1941-1945-The Holocaust; 1975-1979-Cambodia; 1994-Rwanda; 1995-Bosnia and Herzegovina; 2003-Darfur.”
Mayor Yvonne Mosquito said: “Holocaust Remembrance Day is an opportunity for everyone to stop, reflect and learn the lessons of the past and apply them to our lives today, to help create a safer and better future.
