A STUDENT has recounted her visit to the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp on Holocaust Memorial Day, in memory of all those who suffered and lost their lives.

The Holocaust Memorial Day takes place every year on January 27 as a day of remembrance organised by the Holocaust Memorial Trust. Their theme this year is ‘don’t stand by’, where the trust asks people to think about whether they are doing enough to prevent daily persecution.

Maltings Academy student Mollie Rushen, 17, visited the notorious Nazi concentration camp last year as part of a trip with the trust.

She said: “It was a really interesting experience and quite emotional. We focused on the role we have as individuals to stop persecution.

“We went to two different parts of the camp and one had people’s belongings. There were shoes, prosthetic limbs, hair and suitcases from prisoners.”

“My pledge this year is to not stand by when I see acts of prejudice.”

“It still happens today in a variety of ways. It’s not on the same scale but there are still issues with religion, race or sexuality and a lot of other things we may not think about.”

Head of history at Maltings Academy Sarah Rowson said: “We have in the last couple of years been part of the Holocaust Memorial Trust and last year we did something with Essex University.

“This year we have assemblies all week and will be talking about issues around the Holocaust and in every lesson we will look at how we can help people who are being persecuted.

“Students will be making pledges on how individuals can help stop this. A lot of people are not aware of the continuing genocide in places like Bosnia and Cambodia.”