SWU marks Holocaust Memorial Day 2025 which is the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi concentration camp complex, and the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia.
Today day we remember the 6 million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, alongside the millions of people murdered under Nazi persecution of other groups and during more recent genocides.
This year’s theme is For a Better Future and the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust states:
“80 years on from the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, antisemitism (anti-Jewish hatred) has increased significantly in the UK and globally following the 7 October attacks in Israel by Hamas and the subsequent war in Gaza. Extremists are exploiting the situation to stir up anti-Muslim hatred in the UK. Many UK communities are feeling vulnerable, with hostility and suspicion of others rising. We hope that HMD 2025 can be an opportunity for people to come together, learn both from and about the past, and take actions to make a better future for all.”
SWU Chair Dave Callow said, “The alarming rise in antisemitic incidents is a stark reminder of the persistent threat of hatred and bigotry. These acts of discrimination and violence not only harm individuals but also undermine the principles of equality and justice that bind our communities together.
“It is more important than ever to stand in solidarity with the Jewish community. Combating antisemitism requires a collective effort involving education, advocacy, and unwavering support. We all must do our part to challenge prejudices and to foster a culture of respect, inclusion, and hope. Together we can work towards a better future where diversity is celebrated and every individual is valued for their unique contributions.”
The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust website lists practical ways we can all create a better future including speaking up against Holocaust and genocide denial and distortion, challenging prejudice, and encouraging others to learn about the Holocaust and more recent genocides.
The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust has developed the “Take Action for a Better Future” resource to provide advice on what you can do to help prevent identity-based persecution here in the UK and around the world. It provides a list of actions you can take right now to help create a better future.
The Runnymede Trust is also urgently calling for a different approach to combating antisemitism, including from the government and wider anti-racist organisations. “Facing antisemitism: the struggle for safety and solidarity” – a new report written by Birkbeck Institute for the Study of Antisemitism (BISA) academics David Feldman, Ben Gidley, and Brendan McGeever – was commissioned by the Runnymede Trust to highlight the persistence of antisemitism and the difficulty of addressing it against an increasingly politicised background.
The report’s foreword concludes: “For civil society organisations and those working in the racial justice sector, this paper represents an opportunity to think about how, at a time of multiple and intensifying crises, we refuse the incentives to see different racialised communities as competitors and instead build anti-racist solidarities that can offer safety for us all.”