'Stand up to Hatred'

Yesterday I marked Holocaust Memorial Day by signing a Book of Commitment in the House of Commons. The date - 27th January - signifies the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp in 1945 and the purpose of the day is to honour the memory of those who perished in the Holocaust. It is also a powerful way to motivate people to ensure that the horrendous crimes, racism and victimisation committed during the Holocaust and subsequent genocides are neither forgotten nor repeated again. Having had the opportunity to accompany local Edmonton children on a school trip to Auschwitz, I know the benefit that learning about the past can have on influencing people's behaviour in the future and I fully support the work that the Holocaust Educational Trust carries out. You can find out more about their work at http://www.het.org.uk