On Monday 27 January 2025, a commemoration service will be held in the Town of Folkestone to mark the annual Holocaust Memorial Day, an internationally recognised day to remember the millions of people who were murdered or whose lives were changed beyond recognition during the Holocaust, Nazi persecution and in the subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
Held in The Garden of Remembrance, Sandgate Road, Folkestone, the service will be attended by the Town Mayor, Town Councillors, local dignitaries and students from local schools and colleges. Students have undertaken their own research and will take part in the commemorations to remember those who died in the Holocaust and subsequent genocides.
The theme set by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust for 2025 is ‘For a Better Future’. We can learn both from and about the Holocaust and more recent genocides, for a better future. Whilst racism and hatred do not always lead to genocide, all genocides begin with insidious stages including propaganda, ‘othering’ and dehumanisation. Professor Gregory Stanton has developed an academic model outlining 10 stages of genocide, demonstrating that genocide is a process that develops in stages that are predictable – but not inevitable. And at each stage preventive measures can stop it. Learning about the Holocaust and more recent genocides can help us all to identify the warning signs in the world around us.
The Town Mayor, Cllr Abena Akuffo-Kelly, Town Councillors and local students would like to extend a warm invitation to all members of the local community to this year’s commemorations, which are scheduled to commence at 11.00am in the Garden of Remembrance.
For further information please contact Folkestone Town Council offices on 01303 257946.
