Each year on 27 January the world marks Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD). HMD has been held in the UK since 2001 and the United Nations declared this an International event in November 2005. 27 January was chosen as the date for HMD because it was on this date in 1945 that the largest Nazi killing camp Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated.

HMD is about remembering the victims and those whose lives have been changed beyond recognition of the Holocaust, Nazi persecution and subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and the ongoing atrocities today in Darfur. HMD provides us with an opportunity to honour the survivors but it’s also a chance to look to our own lives and communities… Continue reading →

Over the past months, HSF has co-ordinated four workshops with Hampton schools (London), The European School (Culham in Oxford), Bilton School in Rugby and Sandhurst School in Bracknell to enable students to meet with and interview UK-based survivors of the Rwandan genocide about their lives before, during and after genocide and their experiences in the UK.
The project has been made possible due to the work of SURF education coordinator, Andy Lawrence, and Drew Sutton (expert on filming interviews having undertaken that for SURF Rwanda for 10 years, Shirley Murgraff (expert in coordinating recording Holocaust survivors). However, it is down to the generosity of the participating survivors that have given their time and experience, as well as the students and… Continue reading →

Hope Survivors Foundation marked the 14^th anniversary of the end of the Rwandan genocide on 19^th July. The programme was launched with a special evening with Ben Rurabana and his group from France, a mark of solidarity for survivors to remember the loves ones lost, a place of reflection and learning for the wider UK community.

The event celebrated the diversity of our community through music, drama, presentations and testimonies.

This served as a launch pad for further events through the course of the year including a residential weekend seminar to explore the needs/support required by survivors, a visiting tour to the Holocaust centre, producing a CD of testimonies, putting in place collective social structures which offer group… Continue reading →