Special service held at Truro Cathedral to reflect on the holocaust
The annual service will hear stories from community groups across Cornwall
A special service is being held at Truro Cathedral to reflect on Holocaust Memorial Day.
Community groups from across Cornwall today, many who have suffered persecution or could face persecution, are coming together today (Friday 27 January) to share their stories at Truro Cathedral.
Canon Alan Bashforth told us the day should remind us to understand and accept others.
He said: "Human beings have had periods of their lives where they have not been nice to other human beings and have indeed carried out awful acts to people just down the road.
"Ordinary people quite like them have become victims of persecution in that.
"It is a time to look back and reflect on those bad things of the past but at the same time, it's a day to try and look forward and say we don't intend this to happen again".
The short service at 1pm will include speeches from community groups - who will then light candles as an act of solidarity with those who have been the victims of genocide and hate.
Alan continued: "Various community groups come into the cathedral and they are community groups that represent minorities quite often in our life in Cornwall, or are groups that in some ways may have faced persecution in their lives".
An exhibition, provided by Devon and Cornwall Police's diversity team, has also been on display throughout the week to outline how hate speech and hate crime fed into the genocide of the Jews, and others, during the Second World War.
The exhibition further reflects on how prejudices in other countries, and between peoples, have fed genocides that have followed in Bosnia and Rwanda and elsewhere since that time.
A livestream of the service will be available on the Truro Cathedral website.