Pupils perform play to mark Holocaust Memorial Day (From Enfield Independent)

Pupils perform play to mark Holocaust Memorial Day

4:02pm Monday 28th January 2013 in News By Bruce Thain

Schoolchildren, disability activists and a survivor of the Rwandan genocide have taken part in a commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day.

More than 100 people watched the the event at the Dugdale Centre, in London Road, Enfield, on Thursday January 24.

Year Six pupils from Wolfson Hillel Jewish Primary School performed a short play about the life of a Holocaust survivor and read out lines from the diaries of children killed in the concentration camps.

Ten-year-old Lin Feng from the school played the piano as his fellow pupils performed on stage.

Headteacher Kirsten Jowett said: “All our pupils a got a huge amount out of the event and I think the audience really engaged with their performance.

“It is really important for our pupils to learn about the Holocaust and we start teaching them about it from Year Five.”

Aaron Dryden of disabled people's group Enfield Disability Action also took part in the event, giving a short talk about the persecution of disabled people during the Nazi regime.

During the event, Sophie Masereka, a survivor of the Rwandan genocide in 1994, gave an account of her experience including how she lost most of her family before moving to the UK.

Pupils from West Lea special school also spoke about the effect of discrimination against disabled people and the work the school does to promote equality.

The event was organised by Enfield Borough Council. Its leader, Councillor Doug Taylor, said: “All the speakers were eloquent and this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day was the 13th year in Enfield. The council from both parties is committed to it continuing as an important civic event."