Putney and Roehampton Mark Holocaust Memorial Day


Fleur Anderson speaks in parliament on the subject of genocide

Fleur Anderson signing the Book of Commitment
Fleur Anderson signing the Book of Commitment

A series of Holocaust Memorial Day events have been held in the area to remember all those murdered during the Holocaust and in all genocides.

St Mary’s Church held prayers in the local community, and Roehampton Library also had a remembrance event on Thursday 27 January

In the lead up to and on Holocaust Memorial Day, thousands of commemorative events were arranged by schools, faith groups and community organisations across the country, remembering all the victims of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides. The theme for this year’s commemorations is ‘One Day’.

Fleur Anderson MP for Putney, who is Chair of All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Prevention of Genocide and Crimes against Humanity, spoke in a debate in Parliament about her experiences working in Bosnia.

She signed the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment. In doing so, she pledges her commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day, honouring those murdered during the Holocaust and paying tribute to the extraordinary Holocaust survivors who work tirelessly to educate young people today.

After signing the Book of Commitment, Fleur Anderson MP commented, “Holocaust Memorial Day is an important opportunity for people in Putney, Roehampton and Southfields to come together and remember the six million Jews and the millions of other people from persecuted groups murdered during the Holocaust. It is also a time to reflect and remember the victims of all genocides and say ‘never again’.

“As the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Prevention of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity, I was honoured to be able to speak in a very moving debate in Parliament. I was also pleased to see Holocaust Memorial Day events happening in the constituency.

“Roehampton library organised a Holocaust Memorial Day event involving local councillors and residents, and St Mary’s Church organised prayers. I want to thank everyone involved in these important events in our community.

“I worked in Bosnia and Serbia during the war, and four years later, I returned to run the Christian Aid Bosnia office, rebuilding villages in north-west Bosnia and supporting the return of refugees. I saw how a country that seems to be peaceful and communities that seem to be ethnically diverse and happily co-existent can slip into conflict and genocide. I have seen the necessity of building peace every single day.

“Keeping the memories of these awful atrocities alive and educating people about the horrific events of the Holocaust is an important part of preventing future genocides. I want to thank the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, the Holocaust Educational Trust and the Aegis Trust for their vital work in this area.

”This year we are marking 77 years since the liberation of the concentration camps of Europe and the end of the Second World War. On the 27th January, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, people across the globe will remember.

Karen Pollock CBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said, “As the Holocaust fades from living memory, it falls on all of us to ensure that their stories and the stories of the 6 Jewish million men, women and children brutally murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators, are never forgotten. We all have a duty to remember the Holocaust and to stand up against antisemitism and hate, now more than ever.”

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January 28, 2022