Eerde IBS half-raised the flag on January 27th in remembrance of the Holocaust and our students beautifully paid their respect to all the lives lost during that time.
On that gloomy Thursday morning, we had our annual Holocaust memorial ritual. Sam brought in the light by lighting the two candles and Aiyu Yang and Luc Meijnen played a wonderful last post, on the cello and flute. After a speech, written by Marlous Werger and wonderfully read out by Jessica Craig, we walked in a respectful procession to the monument in the garden behind the castle. At this memorable place, Nikola Grujic and Angelina Zweemer read out the names of the 14 former Eerde students who died under the Nazi regime during World War Two, and our primary students laid down a stone with the 14 names written on it; the secondary students paid their respect with white roses. Memorial Day is a time when we seek to learn the lessons of the past and recognize that genocide does not just take place on its own. It’s a steady process that can begin if discrimination, racism, and hatred are not checked and prevented. Still, discrimination has not ended, nor has the use of the language of hatred or exclusion. Therefore we remember our Eerde past and we take care of the present generation of young people. We can only pray and wish that one day there will be no more violence in our hearts and in the world.
