Previous Holocaust Memorial Days

Each year the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust announce an annual theme that provides those preparing HMD activities with fresh ideas for interesting and inspiring commemorations. Newcastle's Holocaust Memorial Day programme focuses on the national theme.  

On this page you will find details of some of the past Holocaust Memorial Day events and activities that have been held in Newcastle.

• Holocaust Memorial Day 2023 - Ordinary People
• Holocaust Memorial Day 2022 - One Day
• Holocaust Memorial Day 2021 - Light the Darkness
• Holocaust Memorial Day 2020 - Stand Together

Holocaust Memorial Day 2023 - Ordinary People

"What is abnormal is that I am normal.  That I survived the Holocaust and went on to love beautiful girls, to talk, to write, to have toast and tea and live my life - that is what is abnormal" - Elie Wiesel, survivor of the Holocaust

Ordinary People were perpetrators and bystanders, witnesses and rescuers.  And those persecuted, oppressed and murdered were - are - also Ordinary People.  They're not criminals, they haven't done anything wrong, they are just Ordinary People who belong to a particular group or community that their persecutors do not like. The theme for Holocaust memorial Day 2023 was 'Ordinary People'. 

In Newcastle our programme considered the role Ordinary People played in genocide while also thinking about how Ordinary people, like all of us, can play a bigger part that we could ever imagine in challenging the prejudice, discrimination and hatred that still exists in the world 

Our programme of events began with an opening reception and talk by Mark Wilson about his exhibition 'A Wounded Landscape: Bearing Witness to the Holocaust'.

The compelling programme included the following events:

Where do you sit

A poignant exhibition of photographic portraits of ordinary people, living locally and internationally, who have shared extraordinary stories. Every sitting portrait was accompanied by a unique story of surviving genocide, losing and finding new homelands and how other ordinary people show extraordinary kindness and courage. 

How the world learnt about the Holocaust - Lecture

Our current understanding of the Holocaust is radically different to that of those who lived through World War 2.  In this lecture Dr Ian Biddle explored the process by which we came to understand the Holocaust.

You can find information on all the Holocaust Memorial Day 2023 programme of events and activities here.

Holocaust Memorial Day 2022 - One Day

"One Day Grett, my school friend, greeted me with an embrace. The next day'  she ran across the road and turned her head away so as not to acknowledge me." - Iby Knill, survivor of the Holocaust

Survivors of the Holocaust and of genocide often talk about the One Day when everything changed, sometimes for the worse and sometimes for the better. The theme for Holocaust Memorial Memorial Day in 2022 was 'One Day'.  

Newcastle's enlightening and thought-provoking Holocaust Memorial Day programme was based on local organisations and groups interpretation of the theme One Day. The programme included films, talks, concerts and exhibitions. 

One Day Changes

The thought provoking exhibition used moving images to show how, in One Day, the normal lives of whole communities were broken with people being forced to flee their homes and become refugees searching for a place of safety.

The Opera

Brundibar was written by Hans Krasa as an entry for a children's opera competition in Czechoslovakia in 1938. The country was occupied by the Nazis before the winner was announced and Krasa was arrested and deported to Terezin concentration camp.  In 1943, Brundibar was smuggled into the camp and Krasa created a new orchestral arrangement using instruments available in the camp.  

The Terezin version was performed fifty five times.  The last performance was held during an inspection of the camp by the International Red Cross in September 1944.  The production was moved to a large hall outside the camp and the stage designer was given everything he needed to improve the set and costumes.  The final scene was captured for a Nazi propaganda film. Immediately after the last performance the cast, musicians and composer were transported to Auschwitz and murdered.  

You can find information on all the Holocaust Memorial Day 2022 programme of events and activities here.

Holocaust Memorial Day 2021 - Light the Darkness

"We will continue to do our bit for as long as we can, secure in the knowledge that others will continue to light a candle long after us." - Gena Turgel, survivor of the Holocaust (1923-2018)

The theme for Holocaust Memorial Day 2021 was ‘Be the light in the darkness’. It encouraged people to reflect on the depths humanity can sink to and celebrate those who resist the darkness and who are the light before, during and after genocide . 

Due to the COVID pandemic Newcastle's programme was moved online and we worked with local communities and faith-based organisations to develop activities and events that encouraged residents to be shining lights of hope during dark and difficult times now and in the future.   

North East Council of Jewry

The Representative Council of North East Jewry (Rep Council)  unique and thought-provoking film for 'Be the Light in the Darkness' was first published on Sunday 24 January 2021 to coincide with the lighting-up of the Civic Centre.

You can find out more at https://www.northeastjewish.org.uk/      

Genocide in Bosnia: A Warning from History

Genocide in Bosnia: A Warning from History features an interview with Smajo Beso from the Northeast Bosnian community, in which he talks about his early life in Bosnia, including how he had to flee during the war in 1990s, and his journey since then.  

Holocaust Memorial Day 2020 - Stand Together

"Don't be content in your life just to do no wrong, be prepared every day to try and do some good." - Sir Nicholas Winton, who rescued 669 children from Nazi occupied Europe.

Holocaust Memorial Day in 2020 marked 75 years since the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. It was also marked the 25th anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia.  The theme for HMD 2020 was 'Stand Together'.

Around the country hundreds of groups created Memorial Flame artwork and 75 of these were selected for a national exhibition to mark 75 years since the end of the Holocaust.  The exhibition was launched at the UK's Holocaust Memorial Day Commemorative Ceremony in 2020.  A digital version of the exhibition can be found here. Artwork from two Newcastle based groups, Projects4Change and Monkfish Productions, were included in the 75 Memorial Flames exhibition that was held in London.

Project4Change - Holding On

Children and young people at Projects4Change at the Cowgate Centre learned about the Holocaust as part of a Flame for Memorial project based on people's experiences of the Holocaust. The group's starting point for the project was a visit from Marta Josephs who talked about her father's moving story of survival and the importance of remembering and learning from the Holocaust.

Monkfish Projections - A Little Bit of Good in the World

This Memorial Flame artwork was inspired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu's quote "Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world."

Members of the Good Space work place community worked with Monkfish Productions and the Volunteer Centre Newcastle to create this artwork which captures the idea that by Standing Together and reaching out with compassion and kindness to others we can work together to change the world.  

You can find information on all the Holocaust Memorial Day 2020 programme of events and activities here.