The Holocaust Memorial Trust Remembers All Genocides // The NUS Holocaust Debate
12:21:00
I'm writing this post fresh off the back of digesting the goings on at the annual NUS (National Union Of Students) Conference. 9 times out of 10, I agree with or understand the angle at which NUS members are coming from. When I do not, I accept delegates views - after all, the NUS was built on democratic foundations. However, I cannot stop myself from challenging today's outcry that the NUS should not commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day.
Any NUS affiliated student union can, from my understanding, recommend amendments to NUS policies. This year, the Birmingham Guild of Students put forward the idea of the NUS officially commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day. To me, this seems like a reasonable request. Many secondary schools, further education colleges, and youth organisations commemorate the day, so why shouldn't the NUS? But today I was shocked to see video footage pertaining to the dismissal of Holocaust Memorial Day by NUS delegates.
Darta Kaleja, from Chester University, challenged the notion, arguing that she was "against the NUS ignoring and forgetting other mass genocides and prioritizing others." Whilst I am fully aware that she "had nothing against Holocaust Memorial Day", and would never consider her or anyone else in the room to be anti-Semitic, I cannot help but think that both she and the clapping delegates have not done their research.
Holocaust Memorial Day has taken place since 2001, with the Trust becoming a registered charity in 2005. Since then, it has worked tirelessly to not only commemorate the Holocaust but the equally as harrowing genocides in Bosnia, Rwanda, Cambodia and Dafur. Events on Holocaust Memorial Day rarely centre on the Holocaust, but bring to light all genocides and the lessons we have learnt from their taking place.
Anyone can learn more about their work at http://hmd.org.uk/
Thankfully, the majority of delegates were for the commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day, and the motion has been passed. The simple act of remembering the Holocaust at a national student level can only further the cause against genocide.
(I am well aware that me posting my opinion on this issue could cause backlash. That's just the way things go when anyone tackles a sensitive issue head on. I fully support the work of the Holocaust Memorial Trust and remembrance of all past genocides, in order to prevent these atrocities from happening again.)
Beth
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