College marks Holocaust Memorial Day

Public Services students at Walsall College marked Holocaust Memorial Day on Friday 27 January, with a ceremony conducted by Walsall Multifaith Forum and Deputy Mayor of Walsall, Councillor Graham Wilkes.

The ceremony gave the students a chance to learn about the Holocaust and remember the millions of victims who lost their lives. They also signed a pledge to ‘Stand together against Racism in Walsall’ – an initiative set up by the Multifaith Forum, which aims to unite all different faiths in the borough.

Multifaith Forum member, Manu Virk, started the service with a talk on the Holocaust and other genocides which have happened more recently around the world. He said: “We must learn from the lessons of the past and create a better future for everyone. We must come together and speak up and speak out when we see something wrong.”

Joined by Multifaith members from different faiths, Councillor Graham Wilkes lit a candle in remembrance of the victims and as a symbol of hope for the future.

Representatives from Walsall Housing Group and Walsall Crimestoppers unit also attended the service, which was held at the College’s Wisemore campus.

Speaking after the event, Public Services Lecturer, Colin Withers said: “It’s really important for the pupils to learn about the past and what happened, but what this day really urges them to do, is take an active role in speaking out if they know something is wrong in the community.”