Holocaust Memorial Assemblies

Last week, Mr Slater led a school-wide assembly to honour the six million Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust. The assembly provided an opportunity to reflect on how such atrocities occurred and what we can do to prevent them from happening again.

Mr Slater reminded students to remain vigilant against discrimination, hatred, and misinformation in the media – tactics the Nazis used to justify their persecution of Jews and other groups. He encouraged students to uphold these values as sacred: truth and honesty, knowledge and learning, respect for life, and care for our world and environment.

The previous Thursday, Mr Slater had attended the City Council’s Holocaust Memorial Day event, where he had the privilege of listening to Dr Martin Stern, one of the few remaining Holocaust survivors (pictured on the right). Dr Stern shared a message of caution but also hope for the future. Inspired by his words, Mr Slater urged students to counter ignorance by practicing these four key actions:

1 Think critically about the information you encounter.
2 Question the sources of news and media.
3 Reject oversimplified solutions to complex issues.
4 Challenge discrimination in all forms – especially within yourself.

The assembly concluded on a sombre and reflective note with the lighting of seven Yahrzeit candles – six representing the six million Jewish victims and one for all victims of other genocides.

A sincere thank you to Mr Slater for organising these meaningful assemblies.