Holocaust Memorial Day 2025: how are events being remembered in the UK?
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Holocaust Memorial Day will be observed in 2025 under the theme "For a Better Future”. This day has been commemorated annually in the UK since 2001 and is also recognised in other countries. In addition to honouring the memory of those who perished in the Holocaust under Nazi rule during the Second World War, it also serves to remember the victims of other atrocities.
Organised by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, the event has included striking visual tributes in previous years. For instance, landmarks across London were illuminated in purple in 2023 to mark the occasion. The trust released a statement emphasising the importance of this year's theme: “Eighty years on from the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, antisemitism (anti-Jewish hatred) has risen significantly in the UK and globally, particularly following the October 7 attacks in Israel by Hamas and the subsequent war in Gaza.
“Extremists are exploiting the situation to incite anti-Muslim hatred in the UK. Many communities are feeling increasingly vulnerable as hostility and suspicion towards others grow. “We hope that HMD 2025 will serve as an opportunity for people to come together, reflect on and learn from the past, and take meaningful actions to build a better future for everyone.”.
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The term “holocaust” is broadly defined as "destruction or slaughter on a mass scale”. The Holocaust specifically refers to the systematic killings under the Nazi regime across Europe during the Second World War. This killed six million Jews and millions of others from minority groups and different faiths.
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