Holocaust Memorial Day

Week-long Tullie House display

(Date of issue: Friday, 14 January 2011)

To coincide with Holocaust Memorial Day (27 January), a thought-provoking display will go on show at Tullie House from next Friday (21 January).

Produced by Carlisle City Council and Cumbria Constabulary, it is free to view and will be available to see in Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery’s atrium between Friday, 21 and Friday, 28 January. It has been funded by a MLA Renaissance in the Regions grant, with support from Tullie House’s Learning Support team.

It shows a timeline of events, starting at the Holocaust through to modern-day hate crimes. Information supplied by the Imperial War Museum, as well as contributions from Holocaust survivors, including Arek Hersh, are included. Cllr Jacquelyne Geddes, Portfolio holder for Community Engagement, said:

“Holocaust Memorial Day is about remembering the victims and those whose lives have been changed beyond recognition because of the Holocaust, Nazi persecution and subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and the ongoing atrocities today in Darfur. It provides us with an opportunity to honour the survivors but it’s also a chance to look to our own lives and communities today.”

A section attributed to Craig Mackey QPM, Chief Constable, Cumbria Constabulary setting out how the Police are supporting communities and building a safer and stronger Cumbria, also forms part of the display. He says: “A hate crime occurs when a criminal offence is committed against someone because of their religion, gender or gender identify, race, ethnicity, religion, disability or sexual orientation. These crimes affect not only the primary victim but also the wider family and sometimes communities. In Cumbria, we simply will not tolerate hate crime and have a range of measures in place that help us protect people from harm and to prevent crime and antisocial behaviour.”

Following its display at Tullie House, it will then be used by Cumbria Constabulary at their school talks. It will also be available to use by community groups, as a means of raising the issue of hate crime and the steps taken to stamp it out. To book out the display, free of charge, contact Julie Dodd, Diversity Officer, Cumbria Constabulary by emailing julie.dodd@cumbria.pnn.police.uk   or calling 0845 33 00 247.