Holocaust Memorial Day provides an opportunity for everyone to learn lessons from the Holocaust, Nazi persecution and subsequent genocides and apply them to the present day to create a safer, better future. On HMD 2012 you can take inspiration from the past to help you Speak Up, Speak Out and do our bit to ensure that the lessons of the past are not forgotten, and that our future is safer and better for it.
Speaking out when you see injustice or intolerance can be a difficult thing to do, and it is important that you never put yourself in danger when you choose to speak up. However, there are many ways you can speak out positively and safely today. You can challenge the language of hatred through social media, avoiding using terms of derision and by joining peaceful protests or demonstrations.

Words are powerful. With them we can heal or harm. Holocaust Memorial Day 2012 asks you to Speak Up, Speak Out and to carefully consider the way you use language in person, on line or when speaking about other people.

It may seem like an exaggeration to say that name-calling leads to genocide. But it’s not so far-fetched. Dehumanising others, and that’s what happens when a derogatory term is used against someone, is a key stage of the path to genocide – a path that none of us wish to take. So if we stamp out name-calling in the playground, in neighbourhoods and online, we can ensure this is a journey that we never start.

Many people consider tackling the issues of equality and fairness to be the province of anti-discrimination law, of advocacy groups, or of government, to be addressed by discrete, often marginal programmes of activity directed at particular groups. But the greatest impacts on the opportunities open to individuals are made by everyday decisions in every part of society, most of which apply equally to everyone.

Hope survivors Foundation (HSF), in collaboration with The Yaller Skunk Theatre Company and its sister company (Small Nose Productions) is organising program of events for the Borough of Lewisham to make HMD 2012.

In addition, Hope Survivors Foundation (HSF) offers Rwandan Tutsi survivors speakers to speak up, speak out by sharing their experiences of facing hatred, discrimination and persecution.

A number of Rwandan survivors will be speaking at satellite events around the country.

For more information about the events, please visit www.smallnose.net/workshops/learning-to-swim

Hope Survivors Foundation is planning Flip Flop Shoebox Appeal this year to send shoebox packages to Rwanda. It is a fun way to help very poor children to experience a little joy in their lives.

This year marks the 17^th anniversary of the Rwandan Tutsi genocide. Around 300,000 children survived the genocide in Rwanda. The majority of these orphans now live in desperate poverty and lack of proper shelter, education and the means to earn money to buy basic necessities such as medicine and food. Beneficiaries will include orphans and impoverished children.

Many are teenagers who have been left with not adult figure to love or guide them. These orphans are left to fend themselves. They are forced to quit school, join the workforce, and care for younger brothers and sisters. Often they are caregivers, sometimes to more than ten siblings. Often they are involved in unskilled labour, which is underpaid and has no security or prospect for the future. Young girls in child headed households often drop out of school for domestic work.

In this regard, whatever outside help they could muster will be readily accepted. Anticipating your generous efforts this winter an orphan says, “Thanks in advance for this humanitarian gesture which will, no doubt, have far reaching impact on the well-being of the recipients.”

Shoeboxes can be filled with items such as books, shoes, clothes, school supplies etc. and should be nicely wrapped and clearly labelled with the appropriate age and sex. Please attach £2.00

Please do NOT include breakable items, food or sweets, toys that need batteries, medicines, or war-related items.  All boxes need to be received by Friday, 14 January. Boxes can be delivered to during business hours (Monday to Friday 9-5).

Please help to bring a little happiness in the lives of orphans/poor children of the Rwandan genocide! For more information, call our office on +44(0)7947951114. Even the smallest gift at the orphanage will be talked about for months, even remembered for years to come. What will YOU give?

Now, here are some important facts:

1. Please plan to have the shoeboxes delivered by Friday 14th of January for shipping to Rwanda that week.
2. Wrap each box and mark clearly if it is intended for a teenager boy or girl and age. Please consider making generic gift boxes that can be given to either a boy or a girl as this will help in the distribution.
3. It will take about 6 weeks for the container to arrive in Rwanda with distribution taking place in December.
4. Shipping the container to Rwanda will cost £5,000. We are asking your help with this and include £2 for each shoebox you have prepared. HSF will pay for the custom duties and distribution in Rwanda.

For more information contact Mark on 07947951114 or visit our website!

www.hope-survivors.org.uk