Holocaust Memorial Day 2023

All Ty Gwyn learners attended a special assembly today, to mark Holocaust Memorial Day and acknowledge genocides all over the world, with the Chair of the Management Committee, Martyn Silezin. 

Mr Silezin's father was Polish but because of his Russian surname, he and his family were taken to concentration camps by the Nazis who carried out this heinous persecution of groups they wanted to exterminate. Mr Silezin (senior) escaped and came to the UK, his brother John also escaped (twice) by holding up his trousers as if he had been given old clothes - as someone would be when leaving the camp. The brothers didn't find each other when the war was over and it is not known what happened to John. 

Mr Silezin intends to go to Poland and look at the records and try to trace what happened to John later this year.

Both John and Mr Silezin's father have now passed away but their remarkable story of daring courage in the face of such horror lives on.

All children were extremely respectful and several insightful questions were asked. We also held a moment's thought for those who didn't escape and those killed in other genocides since.

#HMD2023 #bethelight

The right to follow your own religion and customs -  UNCRC articles #19 and #30 were never more important.