Somerset Council is taking part in a national Holocaust Memorial Day initiative that marks both the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and Birkenau, and the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide.
The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust selected 80 organisations across the UK to take part in its “80 candles for 80 years” initiative. We were honoured for Somerset to be chosen and worked with a local artist to create a handcrafted willow candleholder to accompany the memorial candle.
The candle arrived at Taunton Library on 5 January, where it will remain until 16 January, forming part of Somerset’s wider journey of remembrance.
The project aims to encourage ongoing reflection and dialogue about the Holocaust, subsequent genocides and contemporary suffering. As the candleholder travelled across Somerset, it evolved into a community craft initiative, with people invited to create ribbon flowers in colours representing groups persecuted under Nazi rule and victims of later genocides.
These include Jewish people, Black communities, people with disabilities, Sinti and Roma, Slavic communities, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Freemasons, Trade Unionists, Communists and LGBTQ+ people, as well as those affected by genocides in Cambodia, Bosnia, Sudan and elsewhere.
At each location, individuals were invited to share personal and family stories, many for the first time. These included accounts from descendants of Holocaust survivors and from families whose relatives witnessed the camps during the Second World War, creating a safe and respectful space for these important narratives to be heard.
The initiative also recognises those affected by conflicts in the Far East, including Commonwealth soldiers from Africa and Asia, and has highlighted Somerset’s own global historical connections, from links to Nuremberg trial witnesses to stories of prisoner-of-war rescues from Burma.
The candleholder continues its journey across Somerset, inviting everyone to take part, whether by crafting a ribbon flower, sharing a story, or simply listening.
Through these collective acts of remembrance, we are helping to ensure that the lessons of history are not forgotten, and that every voice and experience is valued.
Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts, Lead Executive Member for Communities at Somerset Council, said:
“This project reminds us that remembrance is not just about looking back, but about listening, learning and standing together today. Seeing people across Somerset come together to share stories, some painful, some deeply personal, has been incredibly powerful.
By acknowledging all those who were persecuted, and by recognising our own local connections to these global events, we reaffirm our commitment to inclusion, compassion and the responsibility to challenge hatred wherever it appears.”
