The Watford community gathered to mark Holocaust Memorial Day, paying tribute to the millions of lives lost during the Holocaust and subsequent genocides.
Holocaust Memorial Day is a national day that takes place on 27 January. We commemorate the six million Jewish men, women and children murdered during the Holocaust, and the millions more murdered under Nazi persecution. Prejudice still continues today within our communities and across the UK. We also learn and commemorate where persecution led in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
Between 1941 and 1945, six million Jewish men, women and children were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators. Their attempt to murder all the Jews in Europe, shook the foundations of civilisation.
Watford Borough Council has marked Holocaust Memorial Day (27 January) with a solemn wreath‑laying ceremony at Anne Frank’s tree outside Watford Central Library. The ceremony was led by HM Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, Robert Voss CBE CStJ, Elected Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor, and the Chairman of Watford Borough Council, Cllr Favour Ezeifedi.
They were joined by the Chairman of Hertfordshire County Council, Cllr Lawrence Brass, Leader of the Labour Group for Watford Borough Council, County Cllr Nigel Bell, representatives from Watford Synagogue, Hertfordshire Police, local faith and community leaders, and representatives from local organisations such as Proud Watford, all coming together to honour the significance of the day.
Following the ceremony, attendees gathered at The Café in the Library for a period of quiet reflection. This offered an opportunity to discuss the continued importance of Holocaust Memorial Day, the need to preserve the memory of victims and survivors, and the shared responsibility to challenge hatred and discrimination.
This year’s theme, ‘Bridging Generations’, reminds us that the responsibility of remembrance does not end with survivors, it lives on through their children, grandchildren and all of us. It calls for active engagement with the past: listening, learning and sharing stories to preserve memory and connect it to the present. As time distances us from the Holocaust and other genocides, this theme highlights the power of intergenerational dialogue and the importance of honouring every life lost, including those whose legacies endure through books, films and education.
Elected Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor, said: “Holocaust Memorial Day is a powerful reminder of where hatred can lead if left unchecked. This year’s theme, Bridging Generations, speaks to the importance of passing on these lessons to future generations. As survivors grow fewer, it is more important than ever that we uphold our shared responsibility to keep their stories alive. In Watford, we stand united, across faiths and backgrounds, against antisemitism, racism and all forms of prejudice.”
Chairman of Watford Borough Council, Cllr Favour Ezeifedi said: “This is a time for remembrance, reflection and education. The wreaths we lay symbolise not only our deepest respect for all victims of the Holocaust and other genocides, but also our pledge to challenge hatred wherever we see it. I’m proud that Watford continues to bring our community together in solidarity, dignity and hope.”
For more information on this year's theme
