Times News

Pupils remember Holocaust victims at Memorial Day service in Borehamwood

By Bruce Thain

1:11pm Friday 27th January 2012

School children from Borehamwood joined councillors and religious leaders for a service marking Holocaust Memorial Day this morning.

Pupils form Hertswood School joined in prayers, readings, singing and watched a short film at the ceremony which took place at the Civic Offices, in Elstee Way, Borehamwood.

Leader of the council Morris Bright gave a short speech in which he said: “We must learn from the lessons of the past and create a better future for everyone.

“We must come together and speak up and speak out when we see something wrong.”

A short film called ‘Learning from the Past’ was played, which featured interviews with Holocaust survivors, but also those who have survived genocides in Bosnia, Cambodia and Rwanda.

During the ceremony, there was a two-minute silence to remember people who had died during the Holocaust.

Statements of commitment were then read out by religious leaders, school pupils and the Mayor of Hertsmere Peter Knell.

Mollie Gergiou, in Year 9 at Hertswood School, said in her reading: “We must make sure that future generations understand the cause of the Holocaust and reflect upon the consequences.

“We vow to remember the victims of Nazi persecution and of all genocide.”

Candles were lit by two Year 12 students from St Margaret’s school in Bushey, as a symbolic gesture to remember those who died during the Holocaust and other genocides around the world.

Anoushka Miskin, 17, who lit the candles said: 2I think this day is really important and brings a lot of hope that horrific acts like the holocaust don’t happen again.”

At the end of the ceremony there was a performance by the Com.unity Choir, who performed songs by the Lighthouse Family and Michael Jackson.

Speaking after the event, Hertswood headteacher Jan Palmer Sayer, said: "It’s really important for the pupils to learn about the past and what happened, but this day really urges them to take an active role in speaking out if they know something is wrong."

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