Holocaust Memorial Day Service
Newport City Council is hosting the annual Holocaust Memorial Day in the city with a special service at Newport Cathedral taking place this Friday, January 27.
The Mayor of Newport, Councillor David Atwell, has asked schoolchildren from across the city to take part.
Pupils from Caerleon Comprehensive will lead the singing and will do a reading, as will pupils from Rougemont School.
Pupils from St Joseph’s RC High School will lead the prayers and pupils from Langstone Primary School will lead the candle procession through the Cathedral. Each candle will represent an area that has been affected by Holocaust or Genocide.
Gwent Youth Brass Ensemble will be providing the music for the whole service.
Among the invited guests will be the Lord Lieutenant of Gwent Brigadier Robert Aitken, the High Sheriff of Gwent Mr Anthony Clay, the Leader of Newport City Council Councillor Debbie Wilcox, council chief executive Will Godfrey, councillors, SACRE (Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education) members and local MPs and AMs.
The service, which is open to everyone, starts at 11am and will be conducted by The Venerable Jonathon Williams, with assistance from the Mayor’s Chaplain, Mr Graham Lynch.
The theme for this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day is ‘How can life go on?’ People across the UK and wider afield are asked to think about what happens after genocide and of our own responsibilities in the wake of such a crime.
It is a day when we pay respect, and take time to pause and remember the millions of people who have died, or whose lives have been changed beyond recognition, during the Holocaust, the Nazi persecution and in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
The national commemoration event has taken place in the UK since 2001, with more than 2,400 local activities taking place on or around January 27 each year.
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