One day in history

Students from Alsop High School have recorded a special act of collective worship for Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD 2022) which takes place on January 27 2022.

The theme of HMD 2022 is One Day and the school have produced a short film, featuring the testimony of Auschwitz survivor, Mr Zigi Shipper, BEM. The film will be shared with partner primary schools, as part of the Alsop Together We Can initiative.

Alsop has a partnership with Holocaust Educational Trust as part of their Lessons from Auschwitz Project and Mr Shipper usually travels to Liverpool to deliver his Auschwitz Survivor testimony.

The film will be shown at Liverpool City Council Civic Service to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day.

During the act of collective worship students from Year 12 and 13, speak about a number of significant days in history where the lives of countless people changed as a result of persecution and genocide. The film also prompts students to consider the ways individuals and communities can pause to remember and to reflect on the depth humanity can sink.

Mr Paul Masher, headteacher at Alsop High School said: “It is a great honour for Alsop students to be invited to lead the Liverpool City Council Civic Service for Holocaust Memorial Day. We hope that the short film which includes the inspirational Auschwitz survivor testimony of Mr Zigi Shipper, BEM, will encourage young people to learn more about the past, to empathise with others, and collectively to take action, to create a better future.”

Mr Peter Bull, head of RE and co-ordinator of Together We Can 2022 at Alsop High School said: “We would like to thank Mr Zigi Shipper BEM and his daughters Michelle and Lu for co-operating with the recording of this film.

“We are also grateful to Mr Chuni Kahan MBE, Holocaust Awareness and Karen Pollock, Holocaust Educational Trust for their assistance. We hope that by watching the film and hearing Zigi’s testimony, it will encourage young people to learn from the lessons of the Holocaust and make a positive difference in their own lives.”

The Holocaust Memorial Day film is now available for use in Alsop and other schools.

It can be downloaded from YouTube via:

The film is dedicated in memory of the late Mrs Marilyn Fielding, who served as chair of governors at Alsop for over 30 years. As a former Liverpool councillor Marilyn helped establish the first HMD Commemoration, which has since become an annual event.

Karen Pollock CBE, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust said: “We are delighted the students at Alsop have produced this film to feature the testimony of Mr Zigi Shipper, BEM. There has clearly been so much thought put into this, the students are very articulate and the footage of Zigi is fantastic – really Zigi at his best! The film reminds us that the bravery of survivors like Zigi, truly is an example of ‘light in the darkness’.

“The Holocaust Educational Trust educates and engages students from across the UK, from all communities about the holocaust and there can be no better way than through the first-hand testimony of a survivor.

“Zigi’s story is one of tremendous courage during horrific circumstances.”