Oxford Remembers Holocaust

OXFORD REMEMBERS HOLOCAUST
On Holocaust Memorial Day, Friday 27th January, Oxford University will commemorate those who perished in the Shoah with a programme of events. January 27th marks the 61st anniversary of the liberation of the former Nazi concentration and extermination camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, in 1945.

The programme is organised by the Oxford Aegis Society Society, Oxford Jewish Society and Rev. Harriet Harris at Wadham, with co-ordination and funding from OUSU.
Liz Marcus, Co-President of the Oxford Jewish Society commented: "Holocaust Memorial Day should make us recall not only the unprecedented events that occurred in Europe sixty years ago, but also the more recent genocide in Rwanda. It is a telling reminder of the capacity of human beings to commit evil against each other - which does not only lie in human history. The ancient biblical principle of recognising the human in 'the other' is the most simple and yet crucial lesson to be learnt from the past."
Oxford Aegis Society President, Jonathan Bower, added "it's vital that we students reflect on the lessons of the Holocaust because in today's world the cliché "never again" is a lie. Genocide has happened in our lifetimes in Rwanda, Bosnia, and again in Darfur. But we are the future; we can prevent genocide if we choose to take a stand."

On Monday 23rd January there will be a screening of the film Hotel Rwanda and a talk by a survivor of the genocide in Rwanda, Beatha Uwazaninka, speaking on her personal experiences. On Holocaust Memorial Day itself there will be a non-religious ceremony at the Holywell Music Room. On the following Sunday 29th January, Renee Salt, a survivor of the Holocaust will speak about her experiences, and that evening there will be a Holocaust Memorial Concert, exploring the 2006 theme of 'one person can make a difference' through music and poetry.

Dr. Stephen D. Smith, Chair of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust has expressed his support for student efforts: "I am pleased that Oxford students are commemorating the Holocaust and I fully endorse their efforts. The theme of this year's Holocaust Memorial Day is 'one person can make a difference'. I would also encourage students to reflect on what this means for them in light of the ongoing ethnic cleansing in Darfur".

For more event details, see below


Hotel Rwanda & Rwanda Survivor
Rwanda survivor Beatha Uwazaninka speaks on her experiences in 1994, at 14 years old, surviving the horrific genocide there. Film Screening of Hotel Rwanda follows. Small donations to costs requested. Open to all.
Oxford Aegis Society, Oxford JSoc, Magdalen Film Society
Monday 23rd January, 7pm, Magdalen Film Auditorium


Holocaust Memorial Ceremony

An intimate opportunity to reflect on the Holocaust and its legacy. Open to all.
Oxford JSoc, Wadham College, OUSU
Friday 27th January, 12pm, Holywell Music Rooms


Holocaust Survivor: Renee Salt

Holocaust Survivor Renee Salt will speak as part of the Wadham chapel series on 'Witness'. She will be witnessing to survival and the event is open to all.
Rev. Harriet Harris
Sunday 29th January, 4.30pm, Holywell Music Rooms


Holocaust Memorial Concert

A poignant concert to commemorate those who died in the Shoah and to reflect on the theme of 'one person can make a difference' through music and poetry, read by college principals and society heads. Open to all.

Music includes: Popper - Requiem for 3 cellos & piano; Chopin - Nocturne in
C-Sharp Minor for solo piano; Bloch - Nigun for solo violin & piano Bruch - Kol
Nidrei for solo cello & piano

Oxford Aegis Society
Sunday 29th January, 8pm, Holywell Music Rooms



PRESS: For more information, please contact Jonathan Bower, President of Oxford Aegis Society on 07922 662122 or email  president@oxfordaegis.org . Newspaper and radio interviews with Beatha Uwazaninka and Renee Salt.