The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust has laid out its plans to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau next year, in the presence of Holocaust survivors and supporters.

Survivors of the Shoah, survivors of more recent genocides, and supporters of HMDT were invited on Thursday to the residence of Lady Rosa Lipworth CBE, a former hidden child during the Holocaust, where the plans were outlined.

Mala Tribich MBE (Credit: Holocaust Memorial Day Trust)

Guests included Shoah survivors Vera Schaufeld MBE, John Hajdu MBE, Martin Stern MBE, Joan Salter MBE, Mala Tribich MBE, and Steven Frank BEM.

Martin Stern MBE (Credit: Holocaust Memorial Day Trust)

Holocaust Memorial Day’s 80th anniversary will be marked on January 27, 2025, and presents “a unique opportunity to unite people from all walks of life in remembrance, education, and action towards a brighter future,” HMDT said.

Laura Marks CBE speaks at the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust fundraising tea at a private residence (Credit: Holocaust Memorial Day Trust)

Smajo Beso OBE, survivor of the Bosnian genocide, spoke about his experiences and the importance of understanding the dangers of prejudice and violence in our own time. He said: “As the Holocaust moves further into history, there is a danger that people begin to believe that its relevance is also fading. Nothing could be further from the truth: my experience from Bosnia shows, the patterns of dehumanisation and division that led to the murders of six million Jews, Romani and others are still present in our world, and without eternal vigilance we are always at risk of repeating the catastrophe of the 1940s and 90s.”

Smajo Beso OBE (Credit: Holocaust Memorial Day Trust)

HMDT chief executive Olivia Marks-Woldman said: “It was truly heart-warming to see survivors and supporters of HMDT come together for an afternoon of tea ahead of next year’s significant anniversary. Lady Lipworth was a most amazing host and sharing the impact of Holocaust Memorial Day in such a beautiful setting was truly wonderful. As we approach the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, and the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia, it is more crucial than ever to remember and learn from the past to build a better future.”

The event culminated in a fundraising appeal to support HMDT’s efforts leading up to January.