UNISON South East staff marked Holocaust Memorial Day with an online reflection event with two minutes of silence to remember the the victims of the Holocaust.
Speaking at the event, UNISON South East regional secretary Steve Torrance said: “After the horrors of the 20th century there should be no room for intolerance in the 21st.
“We as a region and the national union will always stand in the forefront of the battle against anti semitism and all other forms of racial hatred wherever it raises its ugly head.”
New UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea has written a blog about the importance of the day and reflected that:
“Today is our chance to learn the lessons of the past and to help create a safer future. And with a turbulent political climate and events happening on a global scale beyond our control it really feels as if it is needed more this year than most.
“The theme for Holocaust Memorial Day this year is a call to ‘be the light in the darkness’ and everyone is encouraged to reflect on the depths that humanity can sink to – but also the ways that communities and individuals resisted that darkness to ‘be the light’.
“This isn’t just about knowing history – it’s about learning from it.”