Young people from Royston will be involved in a special ceremony on Thursday to remember the victims of the holocaust.

Royston Crow: Mayor of Royston, Councillor Bob Smith lights a candle Royston Holocaust memorialMayor of Royston, Councillor Bob Smith lights a candle Royston Holocaust memorial (Image: Archant)

The Holocaust Memorial day took place today, and saw services take place across the country to remember the millions of people who died killed in the Holocaust, under Nazi Persecution, and in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur.

Royston Crow: Tony Mills, licensed lay minister at Royston Parish Church speaks at Royston Holocaust memorialTony Mills, licensed lay minister at Royston Parish Church speaks at Royston Holocaust memorial (Image: Archant)

Today the Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) and Hertfordshire Education Authority are holding an event at Edwinstree School in Buntingford, aimed at encouraging schools to reflect on the holocaust through art, film and music.

Pupils from the Royston Schools Academy Trust – The Meridian School, Roysia Middle School and Greneway Middle School – are taking

Dr Michael First, head of The Meridian School, said: “It is crucial that students are part of such events; it reminds us of what has passed and teaches us all to appreciate what we have now.

“In our schools we look at the consequences of prejudice, racism and stereotyping on a society. Events such as this force students to examine the responsibilities of citizenship and confront the potential tragedy of indifference and inaction.”

Ten Year 8 Roysia students will be performing “Spiegel im Spiegel”, a piece of music by Arvo Pärt. Greneway students are involved in a showing of “Rwandan Genocide; the 20 year journey”, and the Meridian Chamber Choir will bring the event to a close with “We remember them” from the Holocaust cantata.

A Greneway Middle School spokesperson said, “The pupils are very proud to have been asked to take part in this national event which is dedicated to the remembrance of the victims of The Holocaust.”

On Monday a public service took place in Royston at the American War Memorial in Priory Memorial Gardens. Royston’s mayor, Cllr Bob Smith, lit a candle to mark the occasion while Tony Mills, from Royston Parish Church, gave a short speech.