What is Holocaust Memorial Day and when is it in 2026?
Respects to be paid to the victims of genocides in the Second World War and the years since
Holocaust Memorial Day will be marked on Tuesday, January 27, to remember the six million Jews killed during the Second World War as well as the persecutions since.
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Organisers of the occasion have expressed a need for bringing people together in remembrance to help stop history from repeating itself.
This is especially important in the age of social media, where misinformation about holocausts and genocides have spread.
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What is Holocaust Memorial Day?
Holocaust Memorial Day [HMD] is a time to remember the six million Jews, men, women, and children, who were murdered under the Nazi regime during the Second World War.
It is also a remembrance occasion to mark the lives of the gay, disabled, and Roma people, who were also killed during the 1939-45 conflict.
HMD has expanded to also reflect and remember other holocausts in the years since, such as the genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur, the latter of which is ongoing.
The day is organised by a trust which exists to encourage reflection and has been held since 2001.
“Each year across the UK, we bring people together to learn more about the past, empathise more with people today, and work to build a better future,” a HMD statement read.
“Together we bear witness for communities who suffered attempted annihilation, and honour the survivors and all those whose lives were changed beyond recognition.”
HMD can see schools complete activities, towns and villages organise services of reflection or remembrance, and workers also take time out for initiatives organised by employers.
Why is Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27?
Holocaust Memorial Day marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp, which was on January 27, 1945.
A theme of the day is that genocides can happen again - with the world having already committed holocausts in the years since the Second World War.
“The Holocaust threatened the fabric of civilisation, and discrimination and persecution must still be resisted every day,” a statement read.
“Our world often feels fragile and vulnerable and we cannot be complacent. Wherever it takes place, including in the UK, prejudice and the language of hatred must be challenged by us all.”