PRESS RELEASE : Planned Roma Holocaust memorial in Newcastle – Lord Pickles’ statement [May 2024]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 May 2024.
International Holocaust Memorial Alliance Chair Lord Pickles welcomed the announcement of a new memorial to commemorate the persecution of the Roma community.
Tonight, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) UK Presidency, wishes to congratulate the Roma community, on this important announcement. Roma communities deserve a memorial to call their own that remembers and mourns the persecution and genocide of Roma that took place across Europe by the Nazis and their collaborators, 80 years ago.
We look forward to the unveiling of the memorial in Newcastle when it is finally installed. It will mark an important milestone in UK history, as now a prominent site will exist for future generations to visit and learn about what happened in those darkest of times. It will also serve to deepen understanding of Roma today, the distinct Roma languages, diversity and vibrant cultures and, of course, Roma’s outstanding contribution to this country.
IHRA is proud to have developed a working definition of Anti-Roma discrimination which we strongly encourage countries to adopt as a tool to help counter and address entrenched prejudices. IHRA will also soon publish recommendations for teaching and learning about the genocide of the Roma. We hope this will raise the profile of it to educational policy change-makers and will also support teachers in the classroom to teach it accurately, sensitively and to a high standard.
We commend you on this initiative and support you in the journey ahead.
