THE Lord Mayor of Oxford, will be hosting a short reflection service to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day next Friday.

Councillor Colin Cook, is allowing members of the public, City Council employees and councillors to honour survivors of the Holocaust, Nazi persecution and subsequent genocides and reflect on how we can ensure the lessons of history are never forgotten.

'Torn from home' is the theme for this year's Holocaust Memorial Day which is on Sunday, January 27.

A Kindertransport child, Kenneth Appel, who found refuge from the Nazis in the UK, will be giving an account at the reflection service.

The Lord Mayor of Oxford, councillor Colin Cook, said: "I am immensely proud to be a part of a city that has been, and continues to be, so welcoming to refugees. It is wonderful to hear from past generations, such as Kenneth Appel, who have made a success of their lives here in this country.

"It has been humbling to meet some of the current refugees who are starting out on that process and making Oxford their new home. The city will do whatever it can to help them and future refugees feel welcome here.”

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During the service, a memorial candle called a 'Yahrzeit' will be lit to commemorate the lives of the six million Jews and five million others, gypsies, disabled people, homosexuals and political prisoners who died during the Holocaust.

An exhibition titled "Never Again - lessons of the Holocaust" is due to start tomorrow at Oxford Town Hall and will lead up to Holocaust Memorial Day next Sunday.

It is organised by Oxford Stand Up to Racism.

Ian Mckendrick, from the campaign group, said: "The Holocaust reminds us where unchecked racism and fascism ends up. It is vital we learn the lessons of the past to make sure fascism never becomes a dominant political force capable of recreating the horrors of the Holocaust."

Alison Ryde, president of the Oxford Jewish Congregation, said: "“As the generation who lived through the Holocaust die out and can no longer bear witness to their persecution, the real task of educating people to the dangers of fascism and the politics of the extreme is just beginning."

The reflection service will be held at 12pm at Oxford Town Hall.