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Primate attends Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration and visits Belfast mosque

Church of Ireland representatives, including the Primate of All Ireland, Archbishop John McDowell, attended the Holocaust Memorial Day Northern Ireland event this year on Thursday, 23rd January, in Belfast City Hall.  Time was devoted at this event to hearing the stories of the Mothers of Srebrenica group.  Archbishop McDowell visited Belfast Islamic Centre earlier on the same day, along with the Revd Lynne Gibson and the Revd Suzanne Cousins.

The scene of a cemetery at Srebrenica reminds attendees at the event of the massacre, which took place during the Bosnian War in July 1995.
The scene of a cemetery at Srebrenica reminds attendees at the event of the massacre, which took place during the Bosnian War in July 1995.
Archbishop McDowell with the Revd Suzanne Cousins (at left) and the Revd Lynne Gibson (at right) with representatives of Belfast Islamic Centre.
Archbishop McDowell with the Revd Suzanne Cousins (at left) and the Revd Lynne Gibson (at right) with representatives of Belfast Islamic Centre.

“Most striking was their determination to teach the next generation to choose love over bitterness,” Mrs Cousins, the Primate’s Inter–Faith Advisor, reflected on the commemoration.  “Most important for us to understand is that genocide doesn’t just happen. It starts with divisive language and people being targeted on account of their identity – a reality we touched upon in our church services and sermons this past weekend when reflecting upon the gospel of the day, Luke 4:14– 30, on the rejection of Jesus in Nazareth.”

The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust encouraged people to light a candle yesterday evening (Monday, 27th January) at 8pm, and to place it safely in their window to remember those who were murdered for who they were and stand against prejudice and hatred today.

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