Clacton to host Holocaust Memorial Day service

A ceremony is taking place in Clacton this week to remember the victims of the Holocaust/Nazi persecution and subsequent genocides around the world. The theme for the 2024 Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) is the Fragility of Freedom.

HMD marks the date on which the Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated in 1945. This is usually respected on January 27, but due to when Saturday, the Jewish sabbath, falls this year, the commemoration will take place on Friday, January 26 at 11am at the Sunken Rose Garden on Marine Parade West.

Harvey Newman from the Colchester and District Jewish Community will lead the service and will be joined by Tendring District Council (TDC) Chairman Gary Scott.

Councillor Scott said: "This service provides a moment of reflection to remember the experiences of Holocaust and genocide committed since.

"Usually, we have representatives from many different religious groups come to pay their respects, and we hope that will happen again.

"The 2024 theme of the Fragility of Freedom is fitting and reminds us all that there is more that unites us than divides us."

Holocaust Memorial Day was established by the Government in 2000, with the first activities held the following year.

It aims to promote awareness of how many millions of people and communities were persecuted under racial and social policy because they were different.