Honouring the Past and Standing Against Hatred
Holocaust Memorial Service at Gordonstoun.

29 Jan 2025, 13:01SM CommunicationsMoray, Scotland, United Kingdom

Honouring the Past and Standing Against Hatred

This article covers the Holocaust Memorial Day service held at Gordonstoun School on 26 January 2025, honouring the victims of genocide and celebrating the legacy of its founder, Kurt Hahn. The event featured the unveiling of a commemorative plaque by the Association of Jewish Refugees, with reflections from the Princess Royal and Scotland’s First Minister on Hahn’s courage and enduring impact. The ceremony also commemorated the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz-Birkenau’s liberation, featuring the lighting of six memorial candles. Among the participants was a local Seventh-day Adventist Church minister, whose involvement reflected the Church’s unwavering commitment to solidarity, reconciliation, and the fight against hatred.

On Sunday, 26 January 2025, Gordonstoun School in Moray hosted a moving Holocaust Memorial Day service, paying tribute to the victims of the Holocaust, other genocides, and the legacy of its visionary founder, Kurt Hahn.

Hahn fled to the UK in 1933 after being briefly imprisoned due to his Jewish heritage and his vocal criticism of the Nazi regime. In 1934, he established the Elgin school, with the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, among its first students. Three of Prince Philip's children, including King Charles, later attended the school.

Hahn's legacy of courage, service, and compassion was recognised through the unveiling of a commemorative plaque by the Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR).

In a letter read during the ceremony, the Princess Royal described the plaque as a “permanent monument” to Kurt Hahn’s bravery and accomplishments, serving as both a reminder of his journey to Gordonstoun and a “warning of what happens when a society succumbs to the dangers of indifference in the face of extremism and racial hatred.”

She also reflected on her late father, the Duke of Edinburgh, who thrived under Hahn’s mentorship and would have deeply approved of the tribute.

Reflecting on Hahn’s legacy, Gordonstoun Principal Peter Green paid tribute to him for his immense courage in publicly standing up to the Nazi Party in the face of extreme adversity and expressed deep gratitude for his vision in establishing a school built on an educational philosophy of service and compassion.

The event also marked the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, offering a moment for deep reflection on the atrocities of the Holocaust. Scotland’s First Minister, John Swinney, expressed in a letter, “The atrocities inflicted upon the Jewish people during the Holocaust remain one of the darkest periods of human history, but it is the bravery of individuals such as Mr Hahn that can inspire the rest of us to stand in solidarity against forces which seek to target the most vulnerable members of our society.”

The ceremony featured the lighting of six candles, each symbolising one million of the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust. Among the invited guests and contributors to the event was Pastor Wilfred Masih, a Seventh-day Adventist minister serving Inverness, Elgin, and the Highlands. Pastor Masih assisted in organising the service and took part in the lighting of the fourth candle, which also symbolised those who perished because of their beliefs.

Pastor Masih, alongside a Gordonstoun student, lit a candle in remembrance of Holocaust victims and all those who have perished for their beliefs.
Pastor Masih, alongside a Gordonstoun student, lit a candle in remembrance of Holocaust victims and all those who have perished for their beliefs.

Pastor Masih’s participation highlighted the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s commitment to promoting peace, justice, and human dignity—principles that align with Hahn’s values. The lighting of the memorial candles symbolised a shared resolve to honour the past and stand against hatred in all its forms.

Reflecting on the significance of this event and the broader importance of community involvement, we encourage readers to attend local events to engage with important issues, thereby fostering understanding and building solidarity within society.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church’s involvement in this significant occasion reinforces its mission to stand with those who suffer, promote reconciliation, and advocate for compassion and understanding in an increasingly divided world. Our presence at the service served as a reminder of shared values of courage and service, echoing Hahn’s legacy of compassion and moral clarity in the face of adversity.

For more information on the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s commitment to promoting and developing a culture of human rights grounded in human dignity and the belief that all humans are created in God’s image, please visit Adventist Liberty.

To read more on this topic and watch an interview with Pastor Ryszard Jankowski, who served as president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Poland during the challenging time, please visit Holocaust Memorial Reaches 80 Years (TED News).

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