Remembering the Holocaust

At 1pm on Thursday 27th January, the Worshipful the Mayor of Southend, Councillor Ann Holland, will plant a special tree to commemorate the lives of those who perished in the Nazi Holocaust and more recent genocides. This ceremony will take place on land south of Royal Artillery Way by Archer Avenue , Southend.

Then at 5.30pm on the same day, at the Civic Centre in Victoria Avenue , the annual Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration Service will take place. This will focus on the lessons to be learnt from Holocaust survivors.

The service will include music performed by members of The Southend Boys' and Girls' Choirs and other local musicians, poetry read by local school students and an address by Bob

Borkowsky, an Auschwitz survivor who regularly gives talks to schools and community groups.

From Tuesday 18th January to Saturday 29th January an exhibition in Southend Central Museum entitled "Heroes of our Time" will depict the courage and survival of the Tutsi population of Rwanda during the atrocities of 1994.

On Tuesday 25th January, the museum will host a free showing of the film Hotel Rwanda , starting at 7.30pm.

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's Executive Councillor for Culture, Councillor Derek Jarvis, who also chairs the Honours and Holocaust Memorials Day Working Party, said: "In Southend we have for many years commemorated National Holocaust Memorial Day as a sign of respect and recognition.

"We hope as many people as possible will be able to attend at least one of these events. We firmly believe that the more we can all learn about the horrors of Holocaust and other acts of genocide, the more we can prevent the risk of similar atrocities ever taking place again."

Other Holocaust Memorial events will also be hosted by the University of Essex at the Elmer Suite of its Southend Campus in Elmer Approach.

On Saturday 29th January from 10an to 6pm, and Sunday 30th January from 10am to 5pm, there will be a unique photographic exhibition by Matt Writtle called Portraits for Posterity. This will feature individual portraits of survivors of the Nazi Holocaust living in Britain today who still bear witness to the crime of the century. The exhibition both celebrates their contribution to British society and commemorates the millions who perished.

At the same venue at 2pm on Sunday 30th January a panel will hold a round table discussion on the topic of 'Why remember the Holocaust?' For more information, and to register attendance at the round table, please e-mail events@essex.ac.uk or telephone 01206-872807.