Posted on: Thursday 27 January 2022
Children from primary schools across Torfaen have been remembering Anne Frank, the Jewish teenager whose moving diaries about life in hiding during World War Two became famous.
They have been writing letters to the girl, who became a victim of the holocaust, as part of a series of activities to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.
This year’s theme is One Day, which aims to inspire everyone to learn more about the past, empathise with others today, and take action for a better future.
Pupils from all year groups have been writing their own letters to Anne Frank, expressing their thoughts and feelings about loneliness and isolation, and the importance of accepting and celebrating one another’s differences.
Examples of some of the letters and artwork from pupils will be on display in libraries across Torfaen from today.
Year 6 pupil at Ponthir Church in Wales School, Holly said: “It is very sad what Anne Frank went through, I think she is really courageous for being in hiding for 2 years.”
Year 4 pupil Pippa added: "I liked comparing our lives to Anne’s, looking at the recent lockdown and how it compared to her in hiding."
Holocaust Memorial Day remembers victims of the Holocaust, Nazi Persecution and the genocides that followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
Torfaen Council will also be commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day by lighting Cwmbran Stadium in purple as an act of solidarity with the victims.
Torfaen Executive Member for Corporate Governance and Performance, Councillor David Yeowell, said: “Holocaust Remembrance Day has become one of the regular entries in the council’s diary. However, it is so much more than another annual gathering.
“We all share a responsibility to ensure that the mistakes of history can never be repeated. To do this we must encourage future generations to acknowledge and respect the legacy of those who suffered the horrors, privations and indignities of the darkest of times.
“The essence of remembrance is remembering and in doing so, we ensure that the past will never be forgotten.”
The HMDT website is a great resource for teachers and parents who want to educate their pupils and children to learn lessons from the past in creative, reflective and inspiring ways.
To get involved, visit the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust’s website: https://www.hmd.org.uk/take-part-in-holocaust-memorial-day/