About Holocaust Memorial Day
Holocaust Memorial Day is commemorated each year on or around the 27th January; the date on which the former Nazi concentration and extermination camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated in 1945. The purpose of
Holocaust Memorial Day is twofold; firstly to offer modern society the opportunity to remember those who suffered and died during the Holocaust in World War II, including those still living with the consequences and, secondly, to reflect on the lessons to be learned bearing in mind the repetition of human tragedies and the continuation of different forms of intolerance and genocides which have occurred in different parts of the world since, for example, Cambodia, Bosnia and Rwanda.
Holocaust Memorial Day is twofold; firstly to offer modern society the opportunity to remember those who suffered and died during the Holocaust in World War II, including those still living with the consequences and, secondly, to reflect on the lessons to be learned bearing in mind the repetition of human tragedies and the continuation of different forms of intolerance and genocides which have occurred in different parts of the world since, for example, Cambodia, Bosnia and Rwanda.Holocaust Memorial Day is organised in Northern Ireland each year by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in co-operation with representatives of the Belfast Jewish Community, Council of Christians and Jews, Disability Action, Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities and Coalition on Sexual Orientation and of the local Council for the area where the ceremony is held.
On 8th July 2003 the then Home Secretary David Blunkett announced that Belfast would host the fourth National Holocaust Memorial Day on 27th January 2004 in the Waterfront Hall. Belfast’s first participation in marking Holocaust Memorial Day occurred in 2002 when a Northern Ireland Regional Commemoration was held in the
Waterfront Hall. Subsequent regional commemorations were held in the Market Place Theatre, Armagh in 2003, the Waterside Theatre, Londonderry in 2005, the Ardhowen Theatre in Enniskillen in 2006, the Island Civic Centre, Lisburn in 2007 and The Great Hall, Parliament Buildings, Stormont in 2008. Each Northern Ireland Regional Commemoration has been attended by audiences of several hundred people and in 2004 when Northern Ireland hosted the UK National Commemoration over 1,500 people attended the ceremony. The commemoration in 2009 was held in The Braid, Ballymena Town Hall, Museum and Arts Centre.
Waterfront Hall. Subsequent regional commemorations were held in the Market Place Theatre, Armagh in 2003, the Waterside Theatre, Londonderry in 2005, the Ardhowen Theatre in Enniskillen in 2006, the Island Civic Centre, Lisburn in 2007 and The Great Hall, Parliament Buildings, Stormont in 2008. Each Northern Ireland Regional Commemoration has been attended by audiences of several hundred people and in 2004 when Northern Ireland hosted the UK National Commemoration over 1,500 people attended the ceremony. The commemoration in 2009 was held in The Braid, Ballymena Town Hall, Museum and Arts Centre.