We must never forget, says Stunell

5.22.54pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 28th Jan 2008

Hazel Grove MP, Andrew Stunell paid tribute to victims of the Holocaust at a special ceremony at the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool this weekend with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Communities Minister Hazel Blears and other leading North-West figures.

January 27th marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the infamous concentration and extermination camp, in 1945. It is the eighth year that the anniversary has been officially commemorated in the UK. In 2005, the United Nations General Assembly recognised the anniversary by passing the Holocaust Memorial Day resolution.

The Hazel Grove MP also called for greater awareness of persecution and genocide in the world today, by signing a Book of Commitment in the House of Commons. The Book has been placed in the House of Commons for Members of Parliament nationwide to sign and pledge their support for Holocaust Memorial Day.

The local MP said:

"Holocaust Memorial Day provides a focus for each of us to learn lessons from the past. Not only must we reflect on the horrors of the Holocaust, remembering those that were killed, persecuted or lost loved ones at the hands the Nazis, but we must also challenge all forms of prejudice and discrimination that still plague our society today."

"Holocaust Memorial Day is more important than ever. With anti Semitism and Holocaust denial still in existence, as well as cases of genocide, racism and prejudice still blighting our world, raising awareness of the results of such fanaticism make Holocaust education vital. I am immensely proud that the people of Hazel Grove, including local schools and businesses, are behind me in ensuring that the lessons of the past have the maximum impact".

ENDS

Notes for Editors

1. On and around Holocaust Memorial Day, schools, local communities and faith groups from across the UK will join together to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. Thousands of events are being held across the country to commemorate all those who suffered during the Holocaust and in more recent genocides. Ultimately the aim of the day is to motivate people - individually and collectively, to ensure that the horrendous crimes, racism and victimization committed during the Holocaust and subsequent genocides are neither forgotten nor repeated again

2. The Holocaust Educational Trust was established in 1988. Their aim is to educate young people from every ethnic background about the Holocaust and the important lessons to be learned for today. HET works in schools, universities and in the community to raise awareness and understanding of the Holocaust, providing teacher training, an outreach programme for schools, teaching aids and resource material. HET regard one of their earliest achievements as ensuring the Holocaust formed part of the National Curriculum for History. HET continues to play a leading role in training teachers on how best to teach the Holocaust.

3. In November 2005, the Government announced funding of £1.5 million for HET to support its Lessons from Auschwitz Project for teachers and sixth form students. The funding has enabled HET to take the Project nationwide and facilitate visits to Auschwitz for two sixth form students from every school and college in the UK.

4. Details of events across the UK are available on the Holocaust Memorial Day website at www.hmd.org.uk