Holocaust Memorial Day 2026: Bridging Generations - A Call to Remember

On 27 January, we stop. We remember. And this year, that remembrance carries a new urgency.

Each year, communities across the UK and around the world pause to remember the six million Jewish men, women and children who were murdered in the Holocaust, along with the Roma and Sinti people, disabled individuals, and others who were persecuted and killed under Nazi rule.

This year marks a significant shift. We are facing a hard reality 81 years on from the end of World War II. Fewer and fewer survivors remain with us. Within the next decade, we may no longer be able to hear these stories first-hand. The responsibility of remembrance now rests with us - with today's parents and grandparents, with our children and youth, and with entire communities who share a deep human calling to remember.

Why Remembering Matters

There are times when it is right and necessary to stop and remember.

The Bible often reminds the Lord's people to "remember the days of old" and to teach their children what they have seen and heard (see Deuteronomy 32:7, Exodus 13:14, and Deuteronomy 6:20-21). Remembrance shapes who we become. It forms our character. When we recall what happens when hatred goes unchecked, or when good people stay silent, we are more likely to stand up, speak out, and act justly in our own time.

In today's world, where misinformation spreads in seconds and society seems increasingly divided, we need this kind of remembrance more than ever. We may not always agree on politics or culture - but we can agree that every life has value. That human dignity must be protected. That remembering suffering must lead us to greater compassion, not indifference.

What Does "Bridging Generations" Mean?

This year's Holocaust Memorial Day theme invites us to think about how we pass on memory, values, and lessons from the past. Survivors have spent decades courageously telling their stories in schools, museums, and places of worship. Some of their children and grandchildren are continuing that legacy. But this isn't just about family connections. People with no personal link to the Holocaust are also carrying this forward because they recognise the power of memory to change lives.

Testimonies, diaries, photographs, personal belongings - these objects bear witness to the truth. We, too, become witnesses when we choose to listen. When we talk about these events with our families. When we ensure that our churches, youth groups and schools make space for remembrance.

A Word for Our Time

We live in a time when antisemitism is rising again across Europe and beyond. Holocaust denial and distortion spread online. History is less and less known and awareness among the younger generations about the tragedies of the past is diminishing. Conspiracy theories find new audiences. This isn't abstract history - it's happening now, in our communities, sometimes in our own social media feeds.

Let us not allow these forces to pull us away from our shared calling to love our neighbour and seek peace.

In remembering the Holocaust, we are not merely looking back at tragedy - we are committing ourselves to resist the beginnings of hatred in our own hearts and in our society. We are saying: never again. And we are asking ourselves: what am I doing today to stand against prejudice, to speak up for the vulnerable, to choose compassion over indifference?

Let us be people who bridge generations - who refuse to forget, who build understanding, and who walk humbly with God and one another.

As the prophet Micah wrote:

"What does the Lord require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"
- Micah 6:8

May our remembrance today renew our commitment to justice, kindness, and peace.