Holocaust Memorial Day 27 January 2025- ‘For a better future’

We asked Zainab Aswat, a history teacher at Eden Girls School, a secondary school for Muslim girls in London, to tell us about how they commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day. Over the last 5 years she and her colleagues have used Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT) materials which have helped them facilitate and support lessons and lead challenging discussions which teach their pupils valuable lessons about identity persecution, giving context relating to both historical events and current issues.

Zainab explains, ‘These programmes and activities have enabled our staff, students, their families and the wider community to develop a deeper understanding of the causes and effects of the Holocaust and recent genocides. At a time when many are feeling that the world is a dark place, HMDT helps us to bring light and hope through the power of education.’

Read below about how they plan to mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2025. How are you planning to mark the day? How will you embrace the theme and support your school community to take action for a better future…?

At Eden Girls School, we will commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day 2025 with a variety of meaningful activities that honour the victims of the Holocaust and reflect on the powerful theme of “For a better future.” By combining education, remembrance, reflection, and charitable action, we aim to engage students in an experience that fosters understanding and encourages them to consider how they can contribute to a better, more compassionate world. One of the central aspects of our commemoration will be a series of assemblies that will provide an opportunity for the whole school community to come together and reflect. During these assemblies, students will learn about the significance of Holocaust Memorial Day, the impact of the Holocaust on individuals and communities, and how we can prevent such atrocities from happening again. We will invite guest speakers, including Holocaust survivors, who will share their personal stories and experiences. This direct testimony from survivors will offer an invaluable opportunity for students to hear first-hand accounts of the horrors of the Holocaust and reflect on the importance of human rights, tolerance, and mutual respect. These survivors’ stories will help students connect with the historical events on a personal level, making the lessons more relatable and impactful. In addition to the assemblies, we will collaborate with the Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) team to organise a trip to the British Film Institute (BFI). There, students will have the chance to watch films related to the Holocaust. These films not only provide a visual representation of the events of the Holocaust, but they also serve as a medium for students to reflect on themes such as resilience, survival, and the consequences of prejudice. Through these films, we hope to create an environment where students can better grasp the emotional and historical significance of the Holocaust and its lessons for humanity. Another key element of our Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration will be the use of the incredible resources provided by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT). These accessible and educational resources are designed to support schools in teaching students about the Holocaust and other genocides. We will use these materials to create classroom discussions, projects, and activities that help students engage with the topic in a thoughtful and respectful manner. These resources will be invaluable tools for deepening students’ understanding of the history of the Holocaust, as well as encouraging empathy and compassion for those who suffered during that time. Finally, we will hold a charity collection for local charities that work to support communities affected by prejudice, injustice, and discrimination. This initiative will provide students with the opportunity to reflect on the 2025 theme, “For a better future,” and think about how they can contribute to building a society that is more inclusive, kind, and fair. The charity collection will be a tangible way for students to take action in support of those who continue to face hardship in our society, allowing them to contribute to positive change and embody the spirit of the Holocaust Memorial Day theme. Through these activities, we hope to create a meaningful and thought-provoking commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day at Eden Girls School. By combining learning, reflection, and charitable action, we will honour the memory of the Holocaust victims while inspiring our students to work toward a future of greater tolerance, understanding, and empathy.