A VIRTUAL commemoration is being staged by council chiefs to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.

The online ceremony, to be broadcast at 7pm today, has been jointly organised by Renfrewshire Council and East Renfrewshire Council.

Children from local schools are providing music for the event, which will also feature a survivor’s story to highlight the horror of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides.

This year’s theme is ‘Be the light in the darkness,’ with those taking part being encouraged to reflect on the depths humanity can sink to but also the ways people have tried to embrace a brighter future.

Under the current Covid-19 restrictions, the annual event can’t be held as normal but local residents are able to take part through the council’s social media channels.

East Renfrewshire Provost Jim Fletcher said: “We are home to Scotland’s largest Jewish population and enjoy a wonderful relationship with the Jewish community, so marking Holocaust Memorial Day every year is something extremely important to all of us, even if we cannot do it in person this year.

“It is truly harrowing to listen to the survivor stories but it is only right that we listen to them, never forget what they went through and help to ensure that it never happens again.”

Renfrewshire Provost Lorraine Cameron added: “We are living through unprecedented times and increasing levels of denial, division and misinformation mean we must remain vigilant against hatred and identity-based hostility.

“This year’s theme asks us to recognise the responsibility we have to listen to the experiences of survivors and become witnesses for them.”

Today’s virtual ceremony can be viewed on each council’s Facebook and Twitter channels from 7pm.

The Gathering the Voices Project has also produced a video telling the life story of Holocaust survivor Martin Anson. It illustrates the anti-Jewish racial persecution he suffered in Germany and his time in the infamous Dachau concentration camp.

The video can be accessed at https://vimeo.com/showcase/8036163 by using the password gtv2021.