The annual Holocaust Memorial Day will take place later this month and will be marked in Coventry with an event at the Belgrade Theatre.
Held on 27 January each year, Holocaust Memorial Day is a time to remember the millions of people murdered during the Holocaust, under Nazi Persecution and in the genocides which followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
This year’s event has a theme of Fragility of Freedom to highlight how freedom is restricted and removed from those targeted for persecution. A different theme is chosen each year by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust.
The event is free to attend and is due to run from 1pm – 3pm with arrivals from 12:30pm, and will see speakers share their stories, plus music and performances.
The main speaker for this year’s event is Hilary Hodsman, the daughter of Henry Wuga MBE and Ingrid Wuga BEM who were both born in Germany in 1924. In 1939, both Henry and Ingrid left Germany as child refugees as part of the Kindertransport which allowed 10,000 unaccompanied Jewish children to enter the UK. Hilary will be sharing stories from her parents’ experience as well as their work carried out in the UK.
Also speaking is Mario Kosmirak who will be delivering a presentation about Holodomor. The Holodomor was a man-made famine in Soviet Ukraine from 1932 to 1933 that killed millions of Ukrainians.
Councillor Abdul Salam Khan, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities at Coventry City Council, will also be speaking at the event.
He said: “Our city is internationally known as a City of Peace and Reconciliation and we take pride in welcoming people of all races and religions to Coventry.
“Over the years we have welcomed thousands of people to our city, with many of these people escaping persecution in their home countries. I am proud of the support we offer as a city which allows people to make Coventry their home.
“Holocaust Memorial Day is an important day for us to mark.”
Barr’s Hill School and theatre group, Highly Sprung, will be performing an improvisation piece that will reflect hope and family life during the Holocaust.
Blue Coat School’s choir will also be performing as part of the event after listening to music provided by Coventry Music’s brass quintet.
Councillor Jaswant Singh Birdi, Lord Mayor of Coventry City Council, a turbaned Sikh, who emigrated from Panjab, stated: “I have lived in Coventry for the last six decades and have seen over that period Coventry City welcoming people from the rest of the globe with open arms, people who have settled here and made positive contributions towards enhancing the ongoing work of peace, tolerance and friendship.”
Tickets for the event must be booked in advance via the online booking form on the event page.
For more information on Holocaust Memorial Day, please visit www.coventry.gov.uk/hmd and www.hmd.org.uk