We get asked to design programmes all the time. Producing signage, exhibitions displays, printed promotional material, corporate gifts, it’s part and parcel of what we do. When we were contacted at the start of December by one of our longstanding clients to design a programme for them, there was nothing unusual about that, but as it turned out, this programme would be a little bit special.
We have worked alongside Interfaith Scotland for some time now. They are a national charity that specialise in the promoting and facilitating constructive engagement between different faith and belief communities across Scotland. They do this through dialogue, educational activities, civic engagement and the promotion of religious equality. They also help organise some great projects and events such as Scottish Interfaith Week. When they contacted us to design a programme for them, we thought it would be for either the main charity or one of their projects. However, Interfaith Scotland are being funded by The Scottish Government and the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust to curate and deliver Scotland’s National Memorial Day event that is being held at the Scottish Parliament.
Sense of Pride
There have been a few occasions in my career where I have had an immense sense of pride in being able to do what I do, and this was one of them. Contribute always try to deliver outstanding work for our wonderful clients but to say we felt privileged to work on this was an understatement. I’m not Jewish, I’ve never even been near a synagogue, but being able to design programmes and signage that would be used to mark an event like this has been a real honour.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the death camp at Auschwitz. It is also the 25th anniversary of the genocide that took place in Bosnia. The theme for this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day is ‘Stand Together’. It explores how genocidal regimes throughout history have deliberately fractured societies by marginalising certain groups, and how these tactics can be challenged by individuals standing together with their neighbours, and speaking out against oppression.
A very big ‘thank you’ to Interfaith Scotland and the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust for asking us to work on this.
For more information about Interfaith Scotland please visit www.interfaithscotland.org
For more information about Holocaust Memorial Day please visit www.hmd.org.uk
Holocaust Memorial Day is on Monday 27th January 2020.
