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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Ellie Kemp

What are the purple badges that MPs are wearing?

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other MPs have been seen wearing purple badges during Prime Minister's Questions.

And it's because today (Thursday 27 January) is the annual Holocaust Memorial Day; the purple and pink flame badges are worn on the lapel to mark the day, which was first held in January 2001.

These badges are part of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, who will bring testimonials from survivors and memorial prayers in their livestream on their website this evening.

The badges can be ordered from the official HMDT website here.

Read more: "We are the proof": The 'Windermere Boy' who survived four concentration camps

Booklets, stickers and up to three pin-up badges can be ordered to show support. To find out where remembrance events are happening near you, you can check the interactive map on their website here.

What is Holocaust Memorial Day?

The pink and purple Holocaust Memorial Day badge (Holocaust Memorial Day Trust)

It's a time to remember the large number of people murdered in the Holocaust genocide during the second world war under Nazi Persecution.

Millions of Jewish folk faced persecution in concentration camps around Europe because of discrimination and prejudice towards them.

It is important to remember this history as the world continues to fight antisemitism in society.

The remembrance day is now also a chance to remember those lost in genocides across the world from Cambodia, Rwanda, Darfur and Bosnia. The Holocaust Memorial Day website encourages "remembrance in a world scarred by genocide".

How can I mark Holocaust Memorial Day?

Sir Keir Starmer wearing the Holocaust Memorial Day badge (PA Media/Holocaust Memorial Day Trust)

The theme to mark the remembrance day this year is One Day.

There are various ways to mark the day, especially by hearing stories from Holocaust survivors for educational purposes.

You can also mark the day in a commitment to combat antisemitism in all spaces, as football hopes to do, where a mural remains at Chelsea's stadium.

People are also encouraged to put a lit candle at their window at 8pm to remember all the lives lost and images can be uploaded to social media using the hashtags: HolocaustMemorialDay and LightTheDarkness.

The remembrance day remains on 27 January because this date marks the anniversary for the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.

Six million Jews, who were two-thirds of Europe's Jewish community, were murdered in the Nazi's largest concentration camp along with millions of other people. The Red Army liberated the camp many years ago now in 1945.

The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust will also run a digital ceremony today from 7-8pm from their website, which you had pre-registration. At 8pm, everyone is invited to "Light the Darkness" and place a lit candle on their windows to stand up against hate and prejudice as well as remember the lives that were lost.

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