Remembering the Holocaust *Updated

UPDATE: Read the Salisbury Statement and add your signature here.

Events in Salisbury and Bournemouth will be held later this month to keep Holocaust Memorial Day.

The Salisbury commemoration will take place on Friday 27 January at the memorial tree in Churchill Gardens, meeting at 3.15 pm at the car park opposite Wiltshire College on Southampton Road.

The Bournemouth event will take place on Sunday 29 January at the LifeCentre on Wimborne Road (BH9 2AU) at 3 p.m.

Bishop Nicholas jointly signed a statement in support of the Salisbury event, along with local MP John Glen, Derek Brown the Mayor of Salisbury and Mr Andy Rhin-Tutt, President of the Salisbury and District Chamber of Commerce.

In it they said, “We as residents and leaders of the civic life of Salisbury, welcome the opportunity of Holocaust Memorial Day 2017 to reaffirm our total rejection of all forms of antisemitism.

“Further, we strongly urge all who live and work in our City to find ways to stand against all forms of discrimination, aggressive speech and behaviour and to make 2017 a year in which we resolve to engage warmly and appreciatively with our neighbours and with those whom we encounter daily in our shops, pubs and streets.”

A letter accompanying the statement signed by the Bishop of Salisbury’s Interfaith Adviser, Canon Guy Wilkinson, along with Fiona Hulbert of the Council of Christians and Jews and Ilana Natelson-Carter of the Jewish community in Salisbury.

“In the light of the serious rise in antisemitic incidents reported by the police, the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, the Equalities and Human Rights Commission amongst many others in the past year, we think it important that our city of Salisbury should make a strong statement against antisemitism and other forms of discrimination, aggressive speech and behaviour.  Our hope is that Salisbury will set itself up as a model in this respect, responding to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission proposal in its recent letter to national politicians, urging that “a clear affirmation that such (antisemitic) behaviour is unacceptable is necessary to confirm that standards will improve””

Read the Salisbury Statement and add your signature here.

A statement welcoming members of the public to the commemorative event for Bournemouth and Poole stated that:

“Holocaust Memorial Day is a time when we seek to learn the lessons of the past and to recognise that genocide does not just take place on its own; it’s a 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 Holocaust Memorial Day is an opportunity to start this process.

“This is a time for all members of our local community, every religion, and those with non, ethnicity, gender and sexuality. With Holocaust survivor speakers, music, talks, candle-lighting ceremony and the spirit of commemoration and unity, this is an event which should be marked in any calendar.”

Read the full statement for the Bournemouth and Poole event here.