GREATER Manchester Police has marked Holocaust Memorial Day today by bringing faith leaders from across the region together to pay tribute to those who lost their lives.

Chief Constable Ian Hopkins joined Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd, Tania Nelson from the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, Elinor Chohan from Remembering Srebrenica and Rabbi Daniel Walker for a lunch at police headquarters, read stories of victims of the Holocaust and discuss how communities in Manchester might combat the kind of discrimination that resulted in genocide.

January 27 marks the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp to ever exist.

Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said: “This Memorial Day signifies the date that people were given back their freedom after years of persecution for simply being themselves and, just ahead of Hate Crime Awareness Week, this is something for us all to take note of.

“Here in Greater Manchester we take great pride in our diverse communities and enjoy celebrating our differences and the strength that this gives us as a region.

“This is a day to remember those who lost their lives during the atrocities of the Holocaust and those who continue to fight to survive genocides overseas. It is also an opportunity for us to take heed of history’s mistakes, to tackle discrimination and hate crime in any form and challenge anyone who persecutes another for being who they are.

“As we did last year with our #westandtogether campaign, I want to encourage people to come together, unite and ‘stand together’.”

As well as holding the memorial, GMP attended a Manchester City Council event at HOME Mcr that sees a screening of educational films for schoolchildren.

Greater Manchester Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd said: “We can never – and should never – forget the Holocaust. It’s so important that communities come together and say in one voice: ‘never again’.

“The moment we stop remembering, or let ourselves believe that such atrocities could never happen again, we leave ourselves vulnerable to dangerous ideologies fuelled by hate and ignorance.

“The theme this year is ‘don’t stand by’, and I hope the people of Greater Manchester will adopt such a mantra, not just to remember the victims of the Holocaust, but to show solidarity with all those people who are persecuted or subjected to hate crimes, simply for being who they are.”