Holocaust Memorial Day saw increase in schools’ engagement

The number of school’s which engaged with this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day in January has increased this year, its organisers have announced.

Secondary school participation in Holocaust remembrance had sparked national concern over the last two years due to its decline. However, the 2026 impact report from the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust indicated that this trend has begun to reverse, with over 1,000 secondary schools —17 percent of the UK’s total number—marking Holocaust Memorial Day, up from 9 percent last year.

This was due in part to the HMDT’s educational film, It began with words, which was viewed by over 130,000 pupils, they said.

Olivia Marks-Woldman OBE, CEO of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, said: “The increase in secondary school participation…is more than just a statistic; it represents a vital bridge between the history of the Holocaust and the understanding of the next generation.

“This reversal of a two-year decline comes at a time when the world feels increasingly fractured, making the engagement of over 1,000 schools and 130,000 pupils who watched our It began with words video a clear indication of the impact of remembrance and a source of hope for the future.”

Marks-Woldman OBE said that education was “one of our most powerful shields against the normalisation of hate”, adding: “By carrying forward the life stories of survivors, we protect the legacy of the Holocaust against denial and distortion, helping to shape a future built on empathy, understanding and respect.

HMDT CEO Olivia Marks-Woldman (Photo: HMDT)[Missing Credit]

Held in London, the reception for The Power of Remembrance: The Impact of Holocaust Memorial Day 2026 brought together Holocaust survivors, supporters next generation Holocaust educators.

Holocaust survivor Eva Clarke BEM, one of the three infants who survived being born in the Mauthausen concentration camp, attended.

She said: “I continue to be full of admiration for all the young people who became ambassadors. The majority of these students are not Jewish but, incredibly, put themselves forward to stand up in defence of minority groups, and especially Jewish groups.”

Vice-Chair Sir Leigh Lewis KCB and Marks-Woldman OBE presented the statistics, which showed an increased participation in the Light the Darkness campaign, in which 230 iconic buildings – up from 200 in 2025 – were illuminated in purple to demonstrate a nationwide act of remembrance, and also led to a surge in engagement with HMDT’s social media.

HMDT also announced next year’s theme for Holocaust Memorial Day, No Place for Prejudice.

Marks-Woldman OBE said: “The 2027 theme invites us to reflect on how prejudice against Jewish people (antisemitism) was normalised and embedded in cultural, legal, social and educational places in the lead-up to the Holocaust. It alerts us to where prejudice – against Jewish people and against other minorities – can be seen today.

“It challenges us to stop excusing prejudice as ‘inevitable’ and instead creates space for thoughtful, informed dialogue on how we can build a society with no place for hate. As antisemitism and other forms of prejudice increasingly plague our societies, we must do more.”

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Holocaust Memorial Day 2026

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