Northern Ireland

Holocaust Memorial Day marked around the world

Belfast mayor Christina Black was joined at city hall on Friday by a number of community representatives, including members of the Jewish community, to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. Ms Black lit a candle and observed a moment of reflection to remember those who lost their lives. Picture by Darren Kidd/Press Eye
Belfast mayor Christina Black was joined at city hall on Friday by a number of community representatives, including members of the Jewish community, to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. Ms Black lit a candle and observed a moment of reflection to remember thos Belfast mayor Christina Black was joined at city hall on Friday by a number of community representatives, including members of the Jewish community, to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. Ms Black lit a candle and observed a moment of reflection to remember those who lost their lives. Picture by Darren Kidd/Press Eye
By Marie Louise McConville

EVENTS have been taking place around the world to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.

Candles were lit at various locations in memory of all the victims of the Holocaust as January 27 is the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp.

Six million Jewish men, women and children were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators during the Holocaust.

The memorial day is also used to remember the millions killed in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

To mark Holocaust Memorial Day on Friday, the Church Leaders Group (Ireland) held a time of reflection as part of their meeting in Armagh. Pictured, from left, are Archbishop John McDowell, the Church of Ireland Primate of All Ireland; Archbishop Eamon Martin, the Roman Catholic Primate of All Ireland; the Revd David Nixon, the President of the Methodist Church in Ireland; Bishop Andrew Forster, the President of the Irish Council of Churches and Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry and Raphoe; and the Rt Revd Dr John Kirkpatrick, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.
To mark Holocaust Memorial Day on Friday, the Church Leaders Group (Ireland) held a time of reflection as part of their meeting in Armagh. Pictured, from left, are Archbishop John McDowell, the Church of Ireland Primate of All Ireland; Archbishop Eamon Ma To mark Holocaust Memorial Day on Friday, the Church Leaders Group (Ireland) held a time of reflection as part of their meeting in Armagh. Pictured, from left, are Archbishop John McDowell, the Church of Ireland Primate of All Ireland; Archbishop Eamon Martin, the Roman Catholic Primate of All Ireland; the Revd David Nixon, the President of the Methodist Church in Ireland; Bishop Andrew Forster, the President of the Irish Council of Churches and Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry and Raphoe; and the Rt Revd Dr John Kirkpatrick, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.

In Belfast, mayor Christina Black was joined at city hall by community representatives, including members of the Jewish community. Ms Black lit a candle and observed a moment of reflection to remember those who lost their lives.

In Armagh, the Church Leaders Group (Ireland) held a time of reflection as part of their meeting.

In London, actress Joanna Lumley handed out memorial candles at Piccadilly Circus alongside survivors of the Holocaust and those involved with the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust.

In Berlin, musician Carmelo Leotta played an improvisational piece on a contrabass at the Gleis 17, a memorial located at a train platform from which the Nazis deported thousands of Berlin Jews by rail to the Auschwitz and Theresienstadt concentration camps.

In addition, US Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Michael Murphy laid flowers at the memorial to the victims of Nazi persecution at the Old Jewish Cemetery in Sarajevo.

Actress Joanna Lumley hands out memorial candles at Piccadilly Circus in central London alongside Holocaust survivor Joan Salter (left) and Rwandan genocide survivor Antoinette Mutabazi (right), to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. Picture by Aaron Chown/PA Wire
Actress Joanna Lumley hands out memorial candles at Piccadilly Circus in central London alongside Holocaust survivor Joan Salter (left) and Rwandan genocide survivor Antoinette Mutabazi (right), to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. Picture by Aaron Chown/PA Wi Actress Joanna Lumley hands out memorial candles at Piccadilly Circus in central London alongside Holocaust survivor Joan Salter (left) and Rwandan genocide survivor Antoinette Mutabazi (right), to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. Picture by Aaron Chown/PA Wire