University commemorates Holocaust Memorial Day

Students, staff and guests from across the UK recently gathered at The University of Northampton to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day and to remember the six million Jews and millions of others who were the victims of Nazi genocide.

The annual event held at the University, now in its seventh year, included a welcome by Northampton North MP, the Rt. Hon. Michael Ellis, a keynote speech on Holocaust perpetrators by Royal Holloway's Prof. Dan Stone, as well as a service held by the University's chaplaincy at the Anne Frank/Stephen Lawrence Tree of Remembrance. 

The event also included a screening of Tim Blake Nelson's acclaimed 2001 film The Grey Zone, and five parallel educative seminars aimed at students and members of the wider Northamptonshire community.

Dr Matthew Feldman, the long running organiser of the event and Director of Northampton's Radicalism and New Media Group, commented:

"I am proud that The University of Northampton has continued to host Holocaust Memorial Day, which has steadily increased in terms of both content and attendance since 2004, to the point that this year's keynote was opened by the Northampton North MP, Rt. Hon. Michel Ellis, and delivered by one of Britain 's leading scholars on the Holocaust, Prof. Dan Stone.

"Given the unparalleled horrors of Nazi genocide, our commemorative events modestly act as both a tribute to the millions of Jews and others murdered by Nazism and its allies as well as a statement of contemporary vigilance against those forms of extremism that have historically led to genocide - humanity's greatest crime.

"In providing an educational and reflective day in which to think about these roiling issues, the University was especially pleased by the support of our Students' Union and History Society, as well as attendance by students from regional schools and universities."

Audio from the University's Holocaust Memorial Day events is available online at  the Backdoor Broadcasting Company.