The official Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration on January 27th allows millions of people around the world to remember the victims of the Holocaust, Nazi persecution and recent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Dafur. Representatives from the local congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were invited to participate in the annual service held by Kettering Borough Council in Northamptonshire.
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
The theme for 2012 was taken from the Holocaust Memorial Day Charity of ‘Speak Up, Speak Out’ against hatred and discrimination. Kettering Mayor, Councillor Margaret Talbot and other local mayors, dignitaries, faith leaders and representatives from the Mayor’s charities: The Scouting Association, The Girl Guides and St John’s Ambulance, participated in readings and prayers at a special service held at the Mayor’s Chamber on Sunday January 29th. This invitation followed a successful visit by the Mayor of Kettering to a recent Helping Hands Day and Christmas Concert at the Kettering Ward.
By reflecting on the past atrocities it is hoped society can be prepared to challenge hatred and persecution around today. The Holocaust did not happen overnight and was a gradual process between 1933 – 1945 by the ‘Nazis to destroy all of European Jewry in their systematic, state-sponsored campaign of hatred’, according to the Holocaust memorial Day Charity. Other genocides have followed including Cambodia in 1975-1979, Rwanda in 1994, Bosnia in 1995 and in Darfur from 2003. Readings included scriptures from the Bible, excerpts from Anne Frank's Diary and recent poems relating to the racial murder of Stephen Lawrence.