Year 11 Pupils Represent Priory At  Holocaust Memorial Day Event 

For a third year, Priory was honoured to be invited to participate in South Ribble’s Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations.

Holocaust Memorial Day is a national day that takes place on 27 January. It commemorates the six million Jewish men, women and children murdered during the Holocaust, and the millions more murdered under Nazi persecution. 

Held at the Leyland Civic Centre on Monday, 27 January, Mr Eccles and Mr Taylor were accompanied by three Year 11 pupils to the community event.

Kacper and Hannah were asked to light a candle which represented the victims of Nazi Persecution between 1933 and 1945. Molly-Grace then performed a stunning rendition of ‘Lean On Me’ as part of the musical programme for the afternoon.

Lead Teacher of History, Mr Eccles, said, “The pupils were praised by the organiser who commented that their presence and contributions helped to “make the event very special.””

This year’s HMD marks the 81st anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp by the first Ukrainian Front on the 27th of January 1945, and the 31st anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia.   Prejudice still continues today within our communities and across the UK, and we recognise where persecution led in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.  

The theme for this year’s commemoration is ‘Bridging Generations’. Holocaust Memorial Day is a time when we seek to learn the lessons of the past and recognise that genocide does not just take place on its own – it’s a steady process which can begin if discrimination, racism and hatred are not checked and prevented. There is still much to do to create a safer future and HMD is an opportunity to start this process.

During Learning Life Lessons, pupils were shown a short video produced by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCYAFWiZfRg 

Pictured - Kacper, Mayor of South Ribble Cllr Paul Wharton-Hardman, Hannah and Molly-Grace.