A HOLOCAUST survivor will speak at a Dudley school’s memorial today (Friday).

The event at Holly Hall Academy will be hosted by the Anne Frank Trust and marks the end of a two week exhibition dedicated to the Jewish teenager.

A group of 18 year nine students have been providing guided tours of the exhibition after receiving training from the trust and will also show visitors around during the event, which will also see Holocaust survivor Mindu Hornick speak about her experiences.

Rob Hatch, principal at the Scotts Green Road school, said: “The Holocaust is a dark period in modern world history. It is wonderful that the citizens of tomorrow really want to recognise this event so that we can all remember and learn the lessons. Tolerance is one of Britain's greatest values.”

The memorial event runs from 3pm to 5pm and will be attended by Dudley North MP Ian Austin, who has organised Dudley’s annual Holocaust Memorial event in conjunction with Dudley College Students’ Union.

The guest of honour at next Friday’s event (January 27), will be Henri Obstfeld, from Amsterdam, who was just two-years-old when German troops began rounding up Jews from the city to send to work camps.

He spent most of the war separated from his family, living with a Dutch couple who took him in as their ‘nephew’ to keep him safe.

The event, which will be held at the college’s Broadway Campus from 12.30pm, has become a fixture in the town’s calendar since it was first held nine years ago.

Mr Austin said: “It is very good of Henri to come to Dudley and share his experiences – it is always an honour to hear from those who survived such horrific events.

“It’s always a very moving and dignified event, which as well as honouring those who died, gives us the opportunity to honour local and national heroes such as Frank Foley, who fought to free Europe from the Nazis.

“It teaches us where the evils of racism and prejudice can lead and gives us the opportunity to dedicate ourselves to oppose intolerance and hatred.

“The service was really well attended last year and I hope the same can happen this year. Hearing Henri speak will be a real privilege and something I’m sure the veterans, residents and students in the audience will never forget.”