Organising HMD Events
Each year across the UK hundreds of events take place in communities and schools to mark Holocaust Memorial Day and remember the victims and survivors of the Holocaust, Nazi persecution and subsequent genocides.
Local commemorations are vital to the success of Holocaust Memorial Day. Marking the day within local communities and schools helps to achieve understanding of fundamental human rights and raises awareness of prejudices, discrimination and exclusionary activities that still exist across Britain today. Local events help individuals to apply the lessons of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides to their own lives and increases understanding of and respect for the diversity which exists in our communities.
By organising a local activity you are remembering the victims of the Holocaust and showing a commitment to opposing discrimination of all kind in your local community. HMD is a day for everyone. There are no rules on who can, or should, organise a local event to commemorate HMD. HMDT provides free advice and resources to libraries, schools, councils, prisons, LGBT groups, race equality councils, Traveller education services, home educators, cinemas, student unions, refugee groups, museums, places of worship, police services, job centres, football clubs and many more.
There is no such thing as a standard Holocaust Memorial Day event. Since 2001 there has been an increase in the number of events held and the creative thinking behind these events. In the past few years events have included film showings, schools being taken off timetable for cross-curricular lessons, celebrations of survival, music performances, panel discussions and testimony from Holocaust and genocide survivors. The most important thing when planning your commemoration is to take into account the needs and interests of your local community.
HMDT is here to support you with your event planning. Each year we produce a range of free resources – in the past these have included short films on DVD, poster displays. We also have a range of online resources updated regularly throughout the year including book group activities, podcasts and survivor testimonies.
To keep up to date with the resources available from HMDT please sign up to receive our newsletter.
If you would like to discuss your HMD event with any member of the HMDT team please email enquiries@hmd.org.uk or call 0845 838 1883.
