Today is Holocaust Memorial Day and during the last week or so I have joined with colleagues to pay my respects to the millions of people who have lost their lives during the Holocaust and through genocide. In Parliament I have signed the book of condolence and joined a Parliamentary Debate to reaffirm the necessity to continue to teach school children about the Holocaust.
Having spoken previously at Holocaust related events at Watford Girls Grammar and students at other schools, I know this message in alive and well in Watford. As the years pass there are fewer and fewer people that witnessed the atrocities of the Holocaust first hand and it becomes increasingly important that pupils today continue to learn about the Holocaust and the importance of challenging prejudice and bigotry today.
In my work as MP I have also visited countries such as Rwanda which bear the scars of recent genocides. Today gives us all the chance to remember and reflect on lives lost.