Yom Hashoah – Holocaust Memorial Day is a special day to remember victims of the Holocaust. The official day was established in 1959 and takes place on 27 Nisan (Hebrew month), with a date adjustment allowed for Shabbat, eight days before Yom Ha’ Atzmaut – Israel’s Independence Day.

This year Yom Hashoah fell on 27 April. In Israel, flags are flown at half mast and there is a state ceremony held at Yad Vashem the Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes Authority. At 10am air-raid sirens are sounded for two minutes and all activity comes to a halt.

Outside of Israel, the day is marked with ceremonies and programmes that include the lighting of memorial candles. Jewish communities get together and solemnly observe this day and to remember the 6 million Jews who were murdered.

Hong Kong’s Jewish community held their Holocaust Remembrance Day Ceremony on Sunday 27 April away from the Jewish Community Centre. This year it was organised by the Hong Kong Holocaust and Tolerance Centre (HKHTC) inside the University of Hong Kong art gallery museum.

The back drop for the event was the current pictorial pictures on display at the museum by Sara Atzmon. Sara is a Holocaust survivor who has transferred her memories onto canvas and created images that are thought provoking and highly evocative. The exhibition entitled: Surviving Evil: The Pictorial Language Of Sara Atzmon has been jointly organised by HKHTC, GoetheInstitute Hong Kong and the University Museum and Art Gallery, University of Hong Kong (HKU). Well over 20 works are displayed in two sections of the museum, where they have been on display since February.