AS part of an annual exhibition to commemorate the Holocaust, Hawick Library hosted two talks for an invited audience of 30 second-year pupils from the town's High School.

Friday's event - a day ahead of National Holocaust Memorial Day - has been hailed a success by both the organisers and the pupils who attended.

Senior Jedburgh Grammar students Alexander Edwards and Lauren Reilly, who had both recently been chosen to visit Auschwitz as part of the Holocaust Memorial Trust’s schools awareness initiative, gave an emotive presentation.

Lauren said: “It (visiting Auschwitz) teaches you to not take anything for granted – not to complain.”

Following their thought-provoking talk guest speaker Dr Max Debono-de-Laurentis, director of arts – Jewish studies, presented Children of the Holocaust.

His talk highlighted the catastrophic effect of the holocaust on the lives of Jewish children of the time.

Following the presentations, pupil Calum Renwick said: “It was good to see all the issues highlighted in these talks, I have relatives who visited Auschwitz and I would really like that experience myself.”

The memorial event was the brainchild of assistant librarian Julia Cawthorn Assistant Librarian and Philip Aitchison, who is a local group member of Christian Friends of Israel.

The talks were designed to highlight the importance of youth awareness of the atrocities and the importance of equality and inclusivity in this the Visit Scotland’s Year of Young People.

Julia Cawthorn explained: "This has been the first time we have invited young students along to our annual exhibition commemorating The Holocaust and it connects nicely with the Year of Young People.

"Libraries are important means of keeping the memory alive and vibrant hubs of information.

"I am delighted that 30 pupils came along and got so much out of the talks and I was so impressed with the fantastic presentations from the Jedburgh pupils and Dr Max.”