Foundation Stones
Washington Academy Students lay ‘Foundation Stones’ throughout community for Holocaust Memorial Day
To commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day, students at Washington Academy have been painting and decorating ‘Foundation Stones’, which they will place throughout the community as a mark of remembrance.
The ‘Foundation Stones’ themselves will be marked with the hashtag #WAHMD22 to encourage anyone within the Washington community, and beyond, to engage with Holocaust Memorial Day on social media. Each stone is a commitment to remembering and learning from the past. Anyone finding a stone is encouraged to take a photo and upload it to their social media account, using the hashtag and engaging with the Academy’s Twitter account, found at @WSPost
‘Foundation Stones’ are inspired by the Jewish custom of placing a pebble on headstones when visiting a grave to show that the person is remembered. ‘Foundation Stones’ are a promise to remember the past and honour the six million Jewish men, women, and children murdered in the Holocaust along with the other victims of Nazi persecution. Some stones from Washington Academy will be sent to the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in London to be part of its ‘Foundation Stones’ exhibition.
Derek Austwick, Headteacher at Washington Academy, said: “It is vital for our students to learn about the Holocaust and remember the atrocities that occurred. It is only by remembering these tragic events that we can ensure they never happen again.
“Our students wanted to share their commemoration with our local community, so we can remember what took place over seventy years ago – something that is still so recent when we think about the context of history. So, we’d love for the community to share their photos of the ‘Foundation Stones’, wherever and whenever they find them to show that the people of Washington will never forget what happened.”
For more information on the ‘Foundation Stones’ project nationally, visit the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust website at www.hmd.org.uk.