Holocaust Memorial Day is being commemorated in Lincoln with a commitment not to stand by and do nothing.

The Lincoln branch of the Council of Christians and Jews, the Lincoln Independent Jewish Minyan and St John the Baptist Parish Church, Ermine, will be hosting the event at the church on Wednesday, January 27.

The aim of the meeting will be to remember those who died during the Holocaust and the numerous genocides that occurred in the 20th century and to educate the present generation about these events.

While the term Holocaust is principally applied to and denotes the loss of six million Jews at the hands of the Nazis in the Second World War, HMD was established on January 27, the anniversary of the liberation of Nazi death camp Auschwitz, not only to mark this tragedy, but to honour and remember those who perished in later genocides.

These include atrocities in the Cambodian killing fields, the bushlands of Rwanda, the forests of Bosnia and the scrublands of Darfur.

The theme of HMD 2016 is Don’t Stand By and the meeting in Lincoln will include lighting memorial candles, readings, poetry, music, testimony, blessings and prayers drawn from both Christian and Jewish sources.

Commemorations will cover what happens when people stand by and do nothing in the face of atrocity and inhuman conduct, as well as highlighting the heroism and self-sacrifice of those who did stand up to evil.

CCJ Lincoln event organiser, Steve Griffiths, said: “We read virtually daily of man’s inhumanity to man in various war zones and troubled areas of the world.

“Some reports indeed are reminiscent of the tragedies of genocides that have occurred since the Holocaust.

“The need remains as urgent as ever for us all to remember the lessons of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides.

“HMD 2016 is an opportunity for all those who are interested in combating such hatred, intolerance, anti-Semitism and ethnic bigotry to attend. They do not have to be a member of CCJ.”

Entrance is free and the event starts at 6.30pm.

For more information contact Mike Mason on 01522 823857 or by e-mail at mike.mason4@ntlworld.com

Originally published HERE.