STUDENTS and staff from Peter Symonds College joined Danny Habel at a talk at Winchester Discovery Centre to mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2020.

Mr Habel, who is Jewish, spoke on the topic ‘My Family Blown Apart’, a biographical talk based on the experiences of his own family during the Holocaust. Symonds students provided music and readings for reflection.

During the event Jacob Hartley played ‘Affirmation’ from Suite Hebraique on the viola and Sam Booth played ‘Jewish Song’ (no 3 from Jewish Life) on the cello. Both pieces were composed by Bloch.

Daisy Hawker and Tony Kang performed ‘Lost Language’, written by students Jasmine Merriman and Robyn Hill, a ‘found’ poem created using archive materials, testimonies and other writings about the Holocaust. Cameron Hodgkinson read his piece ‘Remembering the Holocaust’ reflecting on his own personal experience learning about genocide.

Jasmine said “I wanted to be involved in this project as I believe that the holocaust is a tragedy we should do all we can not to forget, and honour with our art forms.”

Daisy Hawker, who read ‘Lost Language’ at the event, added: “As someone who represents a college with such a strong ethos against hate and discrimination, it was the least I could do to honour the many lives that were tragically lost to hate. It was an honour to represent Peter Symonds College at such a moving and eye-opening evening.”

Mr Habel said: “I am very pleased that Peter Symonds students participated in this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day. It is so important that young people are aware of the horrors of the past that grew out of discrimination and bullying.

“The quality and imagination in the work of Jasmine and Robyn and Cameron, the presentational skills of Jacob with his viola, Sam with the cello and the expressive, dramatic reading by Daisy and Tony were a credit to the college that set a moving tone for the evening.”