Locals are being invited to hear from the son of a man who successfully escaped Nazi persecution as part of an online event to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day.

Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland | Photo © meunierd / Shutterstock.com
B&NES Council and the Bath Interfaith Group will be holding a webinar on Wednesday 27th January at 6pm to mark the international event, which takes place annually on this date to mark the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Holocaust Memorial Day remembers the six million Jews killed during the Holocaust, alongside the millions of other people killed under Nazi persecution and in genocides that followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
This year’s theme is ‘be the light in the darkness’.
The webinar’s special guests will include Yoav Ben-Shlomo who will talk about his father.
He will read from a short account his father wrote about the desperation and help he experienced whilst hiding with his own father to escape Nazi persecution.
The event will be hosted by council Leader, Councillor Dine Romero, in partnership with Bath Interfaith Group. You can sign up in advance on Zoom here or watch live on the council’s YouTube channel.
Councillor Dine Romero said: “Holocaust Memorial Day is a chance to reflect on the lessons of the past and how to build a safer future for everyone.
“It’s a stark reminder of what can happen if racism and discrimination go unchallenged.
“The event we’re holding is an opportunity to honour the experiences of people affected by the Holocaust and explore how we could all help shape a better and safer tomorrow.”