TWO school pupils who visited Auschwitz have shared their experiences with MSPs.

Ben Kean and Mia Williams took part in the annual Lessons from Auschwitz campaign, organised by the Holocaust Educational Trust.

Along with representatives from other county secondary schools, Ben and Mia, both S6 pupils at Ross High School, visited the infamous Nazi death camp along with Andy Johnston, a history teacher at the school.

The pair were then selected to represent the trust on the floor of the Scottish Parliament.

They both made a statement about what they learned from participating in the visit and what they will now do as part of their Next Steps plan.

Speaking afterwards, Mia reflected: “Going to Poland to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau was truly a unique experience, but to speak about it to MSPs in the Scottish Parliament was one of the proudest moments I have had.

“Ben and I could never put into words how we truly felt that day we went to Poland, but I can say that being where those millions of people stood, suffering in every second they spent there, was truly heart-breaking.

“I hope we put that over to the MSPs in our speech.”

Ben felt that the events of the Holocaust still had key lessons.

He added: “First of all, getting to meet Janine Webber, who was a survivor of the Holocaust, showed us the importance of hearing individual stories of the Holocaust.

“Also, having the opportunity to see one of the locations where the Nazis carried out their campaign of hate brought into reality what actually happened.

“Even though the Holocaust happened many years ago, stories of anti-Semitism and hate are all over the news and I believe that, by educating ourselves on the Holocaust, we can stop similar events happening in the future.”

Paul Reynolds, headteacher at Ross High School, congratulated Ben and Mia on behalf of the whole school community.

He said: “Both Mia and Ben delivered amazingly well in what must have been a very nerve-wracking setting in the Scottish Parliament.

“We are all very proud of them.”