Helen signs Holocaust Educational Trust Book of Commitment

Helen Morgan MP has pledged her commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day and signed the Book of Commitment – remembering the six million Jewish men, women, and children murdered during the Holocaust.

The North Shropshire MP also commended the survivors who work tirelessly to educate future generations as she signed the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment in Parliament.

Holocaust Memorial Day, observed on 27th January, marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945. This year is particularly significant as it commemorates 80 years since the liberation of Nazi concentration camps. With Holocaust survivors becoming fewer, this may be one of the final anniversaries where their first-hand testimony can be shared.

Across the UK, thousands of events are being held in schools, faith groups, and communities, reflecting on this year’s theme, ‘For a Better Future’.

The Holocaust Educational Trust are also calling on people to remember not only the Jewish victims but also other persecuted groups, including Roma and Sinti people, disabled individuals, gay men, political opponents, and the victims of genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur.

After signing the Book of Commitment, Helen Morgan MP said, “Holocaust Memorial Day this year marks 80 years since the liberation of the infamous former Nazi concentration and death camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, in 1945.

“This is an important opportunity for us all to reflect on the darkest chapter of European history. I pledge to remember those murdered in the Holocaust and stand against antisemitism, which must be tackled without hesitation.”

Karen Pollock CBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, added, “This year, on Holocaust Memorial Day, we come together to mark 80 years since the liberation of the extermination and concentration camps of Europe. We remember the six million Jewish men, women, and children who were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators and we honour those who survived and rebuilt their lives after enduring unimaginable horrors.

The images and accounts that emerged at liberation revealed the full scale of the Nazis' attempt to annihilate the Jewish people and this gave rise to the enduring call 'Never Again.' This phrase embodies the hope that the Holocaust would serve as a stark warning to future generations of the consequences of unchecked hatred and antisemitism.

“As we mark this significant anniversary, the lessons of the Holocaust remain as urgent as ever. With survivors becoming fewer and frailer, and with antisemitism continuing to surge across the world – we must all commit to remembering the six million Jewish victims and must take action to ensure anti-Jewish racism is never again allowed to thrive."