# Greater Manchester hosts memorial ceremony to mark Holocaust remembrance
- Source: The Mancunion (https://staging.mancunion.com/news/greater-manchester-hosts-memorial-ceremony-to-mark-holocaust-remembrance)
- By: Nagad
- Published: 2025-02-06T09:00:14.000Z
- Section: News
- Topics: Holocaust, andy burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, Remembrance, Holocaust Memorial Day
**Greater Manchester hosts a commemoration ceremony to honour Holocaust remembrance day**

Mayor of [Greater Manchester](https://greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/news/greater-manchester-comes-together-to-honour-victims-in-its-annual-holocaust-memorial-day-service/) Andy Burnham took part in a community commemoration ceremony on January 27, to honour Holocaust Memorial Day.

This year marks 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi concentration camp, and three decades since the genocide in Bosnia.

It is also the seventh year of Greater Manchester’s Holocaust Memorial Day service, a testament to the region’s ongoing efforts to honour historical tragedies and strengthen community solidarity.

This year's theme, "[For a Better Future](https://hmd.org.uk/what-is-holocaust-memorial-day/this-years-theme/)"  encouraged learning from diverse experiences.

The event featured [speeches](https://www.tamesidecorrespondent.co.uk/2025/01/27/greater-manchester-unites-to-honour-holocaust-victims/) from Lady Milena Grenfell-Baines, MBE, and Marzia Babakarkhail.

The service featured testimonies from survivors and advocates, including those who have experienced persecution and displacement.

Representatives from various faiths and community groups also participated in a candle-lighting ceremony to honour the victims of past atrocities.

Mayor Andy Burnham spoke about the importance of remembrance and collective action:  
“Today, we come together not only to remember the victims of the Holocaust and conflict but also to reaffirm our commitment to building a future free from hatred and prejudice. We honour their memory by standing united against all forms of discrimination and working towards a better, more inclusive society.”

Students at the University of Manchester hosted a stall in the Students’ Union to mark the 80th anniversary.

The stall provided an opportunity to learn more about [Holocaust Memorial Day](https://www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/news/display/?id=32203), speak with the university’s Jewish chaplain, light a candle in remembrance of Holocaust victims, and commit to actions in their memory.

At 8pm, people across the nation came together to [light a candle](https://hmd.org.uk/lightthedarkness/) and put it safely in their windows. This was to remember those killed for their identity and to stand against prejudice and hatred across the world.