Benjamin Netanyahu marking Holocaust Memorial Day (Image: Getty)
Imagine, if you will, a vast and ancient library consumed by flames, its volumes whispering a collective scream as they turn to ash. This is what happens when we lose memory.
The recent call by the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) to boycott Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) is not merely a statement of dissent — it is an act of vandalism against history, an affront to truth, and a betrayal of democracy itself.
Holocaust Memorial Day, observed on January 27th, is not a political artefact; it is a solemn homage to six million Jews and countless others murdered in the Holocaust.
It is an unflinching reminder of where unchecked prejudice, hatred, and dehumanisation can lead.
To repudiate this day is to discard the moral compass that guides a civilised society. The IHRC’s position, draped in the language of political critique, claims that HMD excludes other genocides and is “instrumentalised.”
The IHRC’s boycott is not an isolated action but a potential extension of a larger campaign to undermine Holocaust remembrance and distort historical truths.
At its heart, Holocaust Memorial Day is not about the past; it is a clarion call to the present and the future. In Britain, a nation steeped in a proud tradition of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, HMD is more than a date on the calendar.
It is an anchor of collective identity, a bulwark against the surging tides of division, and an affirmation of our commitment to the sacred promise of “Never Again”.
To institutionalise HMD in UK law, as proposed in recent policy recommendations, is not merely a legislative step but a profound statement of national intent.
It says unequivocally: the memory of the Holocaust will not be bargained away in the face of denial, distortion, or politicised boycott.
Let us be unequivocal: this is not only about history but the here and now. Antisemitism is not an old ghost haunting the margins of history; it is an active, malevolent force.
From the insidious spread of Holocaust denial to the venomous antisemitic tropes that infiltrate political discourse, society is witnessing a resurgence of hatred cloaked in respectability.
The IHRC’s boycott feeds into a dangerous narrative where Holocaust remembrance is framed as exclusionary or biased. This argument is both flawed and perilous.
Holocaust Memorial Day does not diminish the suffering of others; it magnifies the importance of recognising all forms of hatred and prejudice.
By remembering the Holocaust, we learn not only about its horrors but also the mechanisms of hate that can fuel future atrocities. In our increasingly fractured world, Britain’s leadership on human rights and historical preservation is needed more than ever.
The enshrinement of HMD in law would position the UK as a global champion of remembrance, standing tall against the corrosive forces of denial and distortion.
Such a move would also set a precedent for other nations. It would signal that Holocaust remembrance is not a passive ritual but an active commitment to the principles of justice, equality, and dignity.
It would say to the world: here is a country unafraid to confront its past in order to safeguard its future. To those who argue against Holocaust Memorial Day, I say this: look deeper into the mirror of history.
See the smouldering ruins of memory left behind when hatred is allowed to fester. This boycott is not an act of conscience but an abdication of it.
It dishonours the memory of victims, undermines the fight against prejudice, and weakens the fabric of democracy.
The call to enshrine Holocaust Memorial Day in law is not merely a response to the IHRC’s boycott but a necessary step to ensure that memory withstands the forces of erasure.
By doing so, we protect not only the lessons of the past but the hope of a more just and tolerant future. Let us, as a nation, reject the myopia of this boycott and reaffirm our shared humanity.
In remembering the Holocaust, we do not simply honour the past; we protect the principles that define us as a society. And in doing so, we light a beacon of hope that will shine through the darkest of times.
Catherine Perez-Shakdam is the Executive Director of We Believe in