The annual remembrance of the millions of people who died in the Holocaust and subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur will be held in Falkirk in 2016.

The National Holocaust Memorial Day is held each year on 27th January and in 2016 will be hosted by Falkirk Council in partnership with the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust and Interfaith Scotland.

Elected members agreed to support and host the national event and civic reception at yesterday’s Executive meeting (20th October).

The theme for the national and local 2016 events is ‘Don’t Stand By’ which recognises people who have not ignored genocide and through significant acts of heroism have helped to save the lives of many people.

Provost Pat Reid, Falkirk Council said: “It’s a real privilege to be invited to host the national event which will build on the success of our own local events in recent years.

“It’s a time to pause, reflect and remember the millions of people who have been directly or indirectly affected by discrimination and in the very worst cases, genocide.

“This year’s theme ‘don’t stand by’ puts the spotlight on those who have, at times, risked their lives to speak out about the horrors others chose to ignore.”

The national event will take place on the evening of the 27th in Falkirk Town Hall. The key note speakers for the event are Professor Mukesh Kapila who was influential in bringing the situation in Darfur to worldwide attention and Inge Auerbacher, a survivor of the Terezin concentration camp.

Over the past five years Falkirk Council has commemorated Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) locally. The event has grown through the involvement of local communities and schools and is now recognised and acknowledged as a poignant and moving event.

Each year secondary school pupils are given the chance to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau and are encouraged to share their experiences at the local event.