Rhondda Cynon Taf Council And South Wales Police To Mark Holocaust Memorial Day

Talented children and young people will join Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and South Wales Police to mark Holocaust Memorial Day this month. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

An afternoon of readings and performances has been organised to ensure everyone is able to learn from the past to create a safer, better future for all. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

So much of what we know about the Holocaust, Nazi persecution and subsequent genocides is thanks to the words of the survivors – the authors, the poets and the artists who have shared their stories and experiences over the generations. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

So it is only fitting that Holocaust Memorial Day should be marked in Rhondda Cynon Taf with an afternoon of performances by a wide range of people. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The event will be opened by Cllr Geraint Hopkins, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Services, Equalities and the Welsh Language and will include: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• A reading of the beautiful poem Birdsong, which was written specially for Holocaust Memorial Day by former Welsh Poet Laureate, Gillian Clarke.
• A presentation from the pupils and staff of St John Baptist Church in Wales High School
• Performances from Afon Community Dance, Maesycoed Primary School. Aberdare Park Primary School and community members from Cwmbach Communities First.
• Readings from Rev Aled Edwards OBE from Churches Together in Wales and Supt Jim Dyson of South Wales Police.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Mayor Cllr Rhys Lewis will close the event, which takes place from 1pm to 3.30pm on Thursday, January 26 at the Coliseum Theatre in Aberdare. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The event will also feature moving poems which have been composed by Treorchy Comprehensive pupils Carys Hopkins, Romany Rawlings, Gabrielle Turner and Emmie Pearce, who researched and worked on them as part of the e-teens initiative at Treorchy Library. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Holocaust Memorial Day is a national event coordinated by the Holocaust Memorial Trust to ensure what happened to so many communities – and the lessons we continue to learn to this day – are never forgotten. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Nazi persecution and destruction of communities, including LGBT, the disabled and Roma and Sinti gypsies, alongside the Holocaust, demonstrated a hatred of others that continues in a different form to this day. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Events such as Holocaust Memorial Day encourage people to stand up against hate in the world by making a difference in their own lives, their own families and their own communities. If everyone makes just one promise to challenge prejudice and discrimination when they see it, it could change the world. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​