Silence

We want a new world
A world where holocaust and genocide will be no more
For our part, we will do everything we can
We will act. We will act now
Where there has been hatred, may there now be love
Where there has been darkness, may light now shine Where there has been despair, may hope now come
Where there has been discord, may peace prevail

Holocaust Memorial Day
Read by Vice-Chairman S.P. Smith

We are invited to observe Holocaust Memorial Day each year.
This is the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by Soviet troops on 27 January 1945.
The idea of a national Holocaust commemoration was proposed with three aims in mind:

All of these aims are important for communities to take to heart; for the lessons learned and the lessons still to be learnt.

There are millions of stories we will never know, the stories of individuals, communities and towns, But we can still honour the memory of those affected by genocide by playing a part in these Untold Stories.

It's easy to talk about the numbers murdered and persecuted during the Holocaust and subsequent genocides. It's less easy to truly appreciate what these figures mean. The 11 million people murdered by the Nazis were not a statistic. They were individuals, Somebody's friend, a mother, a father, a child, a colleague, a neighbour.

Today, we will hear of a survivors story. By hearing stories we have not heard before, we can understand the need to live in a society which values difference and does not discriminate against anyone based on their race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability or gender.

As residents of the District of Rochford we all have a responsibility to do whatever is within our power to prevent all forms of victimisation and genocide. The statement of Commitment will be read by pupils from local senior schools

We recognise that the Holocaust shook the foundations of modern civilisation. Its unprecedented character and horror will always hold universal meaning.

We believe the Holocaust must have a permanent place in our nation's collective memory. We honour the survivors still with us, and reaffirm our shared goals of mutual understanding and justice.

Pupils from Greensward College
We must make sure that future generations understand the causes of the Holocaust and reflect upon its consequences. We vow to remember the victims of Nazi persecution and of all genocide.

We value the sacrifices of those who have risked their lives to protect or rescue victims, as a touchstone of the human capacity for good in the face of evil.

Pupils from The Sweyne Park School
We recognise that humanity is still scarred by the belief that race, religion, disability or sexuality make people's lives worth less than others.

Genocide, anti-Semitism, racism, xenophobia and discrimination still continue.
We have shared responsibility to fight these evils.

Pupils from The King Edmund School
We pledge to strengthen our effort to promote education and research about the Holocaust and other genocide. We will do our utmost to make sure that the lessons of such events are fully learnt.

We will continue to encourage Holocaust remembrance by commemorating UK Holocaust Memorial Day. We condemn the evils of prejudice, discrimination and racism. We value a free, tolerant and democratic society.

Prayer by Brother Sarfraz Sarwar, leader of Basildon Islamic Centre

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds,
The Beneficent, the Merciful:
Owner of the Day of Judgment,
Thee (alone) we worship; Thee alone we ask for help.
Show us the straight path,
The path of those whom Thou hast favoured;
Not (the path) of those who earn thine anger nor of those who go astray.

All: Ameen