A memorial flame created by Bennett Memorial Diocesan School students in art has been selected by a distinguished panel of judges to feature as part of a national art exhibition to commemorate the 75^th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

The artwork is one of 75 memorial flames chosen to represent each year since the liberation of Auschwitz. These will be displayed at an exhibition which is set to be unveiled at the UK Ceremony for Holocaust Memorial Day in London on 27 January 2020, at which numerous VIPs are expected to be in attendance.

More than 300 groups from across the country registered to take part in the nationwide competition launched by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT) to encourage more people to remember the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust.

The panellists judging the competition were: Sarah Donaldson, arts editor at the Observer;  Nick Sharratt, renowned illustrator and author; Kathleen Soriano, Chair of the Liverpool Biennial, and judge on SkyArts Artist of the Year; Anita Peleg, HMDT Trustee and daughter of Naomi Blake, a sculptor and Holocaust survivor; and Olivia Marks-Woldman, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust.

Speaking about the theme for HMD commemorations in 2020, ‘Stand Together’ and the group’s inspiration for getting involved in the project, headteacher Jon Sparke said “the power of flames giving light in the darkness resonates very powerfully for us as a school. We teach our students about the importance of always holding on to hope. The project gave our students the opportunity to explore this theme artistically as well as to learn more about its significance in the history of the holocaust and our response to it. We are delighted and proud that our students’ work has been included in this national exhibition”.