Rotherham marked Holocaust Memorial Day by holding an event on Friday 27 January.
The event took place at All Saints’ Square and brought together faith leaders, dignitaries, Councillors, schools and Rotherham residents who remembered all those who lost their lives to genocides around the world.
A range of speeches, performances and songs took place during the event.
Pupils from Eastwood Village Primary School and St. Bernard’s Catholic High School sang as people arrived at All Saints’ Square and during the event.
The Mayor of Rotherham, Councillor Tajamal Khan, opened the event and spoke about the theme of this Year’s Holocaust Memorial Day, ‘Ordinary People’.
The theme highlights the ordinary people who let genocide happen, the ordinary people who actively perpetrated genocide, and the ordinary people who were persecuted. The theme aims to encourage people to consider how ordinary people can play a bigger part in challenging prejudice today.
Faith leaders spoke at the event, including Reverend Sue Armstrong from Rotherham Minster and Rabbi Yonosan Golomb from the United Synagogue Sheffield.
Local singer-songwriter Nic Harding closed the event by performing a song that was composed especially for the event called ‘Ordinary People’.
Councillor Chris Read, Leader of Rotherham Council, said: “This is always a special event and provided us with an opportunity to reflect and remember the millions of lives lost during the Holocaust and in other genocides.
“It was encouraging to see so many residents at the event, which was the 8th annual public Holocaust Memorial Day event held by Rotherham Council.”
Photo caption: the image shows the Mayor of Rotherham, Councillor Tajamal Khan, speaking at the event.