SUNDERLAND students have come together to pay tribute to the millions of Jews who lost their lives during World War II.
Sunderland College has held a two-day campus roadshow, led by college chaplain Ros Jackson, which saw students learn about the untold persecution that Jewish men, women and children faced at the hands of German dictator Hitler.
The roadshow, which marked World Holocaust Memorial Day [Friday, January 27], invited students to leave their tributes, and remember one of the most shameful genocides in human history.
Ellen Thinnesen said that World Holocaust Memorial Day is a key date in the college’s diary, as it provides an opportunity to educate young people on the horror that can come from intolerance and hatred.
She said: “The Holocaust is one of the most haunting human tragedies in history, and it is something we should never, ever forget.
“Millions of Jews lost their lives during World War II, and millions more endured the heartbreak of life in concentration camps, not knowing whether their loved ones were alive or dead. It is unimaginable horror that was bred from intolerance.
“It’s so important that we learn from the past and educate people about the terrible impact of extremism and acts of racism. We have to remember the importance of tolerance and love – diversity is something to be celebrated and we’re committed to that at Sunderland College.”
Students were encouraged to attend events on campus to find out more about the Holocaust and to get involved in an online discussion forum about both the history and more recent worldwide atrocities in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, Darfur and Syria, uniting against hate crimes and racism and championing equality and diversity.
It is part of a worldwide campaign to honour the innocent people who died, and to celebrate diversity. To find out more about World Holocaust Memorial Day, visit http://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en
Photograph caption: Sunderland College staff and students holding “We Remember” cards to mark World Holocaust Memorial Day.