The council is inviting the borough’s community groups to unite tomorrow in an event of international remembrance to honour victims of the Holocaust and other genocides.
From 12 noon on January 27, residents will be able to join a Town Hall ceremony via an online link.
Maddie Henson, the Mayor of Croydon, will host the hour-long event and will light a candle in memory of victims of genocide and in acknowledgement of this year’s theme, “Be the light in the darkness.”
The day commemorates the millions killed under Nazi persecution and also the genocides that followed in places such as Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
As part of the ceremony Croydon has invited Sokphal Din from Cambodia to speak.
Forced out of his home by the Khmer Rouge in 1975, Sokphal endured hard labour in the what became notorious as “the killing fields”, but eventually survived the Cambodian genocide by escaping to Thai refugee camps.
The event will also feature performances and presentations from Croydon Music and Arts, Oasis Academy and Riddlesdown Collegiate, a speech from Marilyn Arbisman of Croydon Synagogue, and the announcement of the winners of this year’s competition for schoolchildren to submit a painting, short essay, story, poem or short film.
Councillor David Wood, cabinet member for communities, safety and resilience said, “The ceremony gives the diverse communities in Croydon the opportunity to come together, remember those who lost their lives, and show how united we are in the face of intolerance, persecution and discrimination.
“In Croydon we are proud of being an open and welcoming place for everyone – regardless of colour or creed. Holocaust Memorial Day is not just a reminder of the evils that take place in the world, but of a determination to learn from them and ensure such horrors never take place again.”
The link to the ceremony will be available on the day and will be found at www.croydon.gov.uk/HolocaustMemorialDay2021
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