Thought For The Day – Wednesday 28th January 2026
Witnesses
The first and third pictures above are by P.A. News Agency and the second is by Alastair Grant.
Yesterday, King Charles III, and Queen Camilla, met Holocaust survivors, including Helen Aronson, pictured above, at Buckingham Palace.
They lit candles of remembrance to mark the anniversary of the date of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and death camp on Holocaust Memorial Day.
King Charles said survivors who had passed away from this life were also present in spirit .
Last year, King Charles became the first U.K. head of state to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Yesterday also, Mala Tribich M.B.E., aged 95, became the first Holocaust survivor to address the cabinet, the team of ministers responsible for government departments in the United Kingdom, and chaired by the Prime Minister.
Mala Tribich survived the Bergen-Belsen concentration and death camp as a 14-year-old.
In a five-minute speech, Mala warned about the evils of Antisemitism and all negative prejudice and discrimination. Mala urged ministers not just to listen, but to become “witnesses”.
At the close of her speech, Mala received a standing ovation from the cabinet.
Across the country yesterday, the U.K., followed the world, in remembering The Holocaust and all victims of genocide.
Candles were lit and landmarks were illuminated in purple.
Chief executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, Olivia Marks-Woldman O.B.E., said:
“Prejudice still continues today within our communities and around the world, and this day is an important reminder of where it can lead.”
The global theme of yesterday was “Bridging Generations”.
We too must become witnesses to learn from the past and create, and nurture, a good present and future, building on the inspirational legacy of those good, loving, perfect, and resilient people, and generations, who have gone before us.
