Cambridge commemorates victims of the Holocaust and genocide with online events and civic ceremony

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CAMBRIDGE is marking Holocaust Memorial Day online this year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, with a series of events leading up to the annual civic ceremony on Sunday.

Holocaust Memorial Day commemorates the millions of people who died during the Holocaust, under Nazi persecution, and in the genocides that followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

It is held every year on 27 January, the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.

Today (Wednesday 27 Jan) there are several online events for schools, while Michael Rosen will unveil a new poem ‘Light in the Darkness’ (see https://vimeo.com/501887260) and the Guildhall will be lit up in purple from 4pm by the Mayor of Cambridge, Cllr Russ McPherson.

At 8pm Michael Rosen will give a talk about how he discovered what had really happened to relatives of his who were murdered by Nazis in World War Two. This event is free, but donations to the Refugee Charity will be requested when booking in advance at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/michael-rosen-the-missing-tickets-136844815527  

The online commemoration is at 5pm on Sunday 31 January. Anyone can join in online for free to see guest speakers including poet and author Michael Rosen, and Holocaust survivor Eva Clarke plus musical performances, dance pieces, readings, poetry and artworks. 

To view this year’s commemorative ceremony people can visit https://vimeo.com/501706925 or for more information visit http://bit.ly/CamHMD2021  

If you would like to participate in the ceremony, please have a candle ready to light at home for the duration of the ceremony. You can share a photograph of your candle on social media using the hashtag #HMD2021Cambridge.

For full details read the announcement on the City Council website