Mayor and Assembly commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day with City Hall service

Today at City Hall, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan and Deputy Chair of the London Assembly, Andrew Boff AM welcomed Jewish community leaders and Holocaust and genocide survivors for a special commemorative service ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day (27 January).

The annual service, which is delivered in partnership with the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust and the Holocaust Educational Trust, paid tribute to Holocaust survivors and victims, and all those affected by other genocides. 

The theme of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day is ‘Bridging Generations’ and encourages everyone to listen and learn about the past and bring those lessons forward as the responsibility of remembrance doesn't end with the survivors.

The City Hall ceremony featured testimonials from Holocaust survivor Annick Lever BEM, who was smuggled out of prison by her father while pending deportation to Drancy transit camp, and Safet Vukalić BEM, a survivor of the Bosnian genocide.

The Mayor provided a reading, and further speakers included Deputy Chair of the London Assembly, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, Olivia Marks-Woldman OBE, and Interim Chief Programmes and Outreach Officer Anna Bradford.

Ambassadors from the Holocaust Educational Trust reflected on their participation in the Lessons from Auschwitz programme, while Regional Ambassador Amberley Thay delivered the Statement of Commitment.

The El Male Rachamim memorial prayer was read by Rabbi Nick Kett of the Radlett United Synagogue before a memorial candle was lit by Annick Lever BEM and Safet Vukalić BEM. Musical performances by Canadian singer of Czech-Jewish descent, Lenka Lichtenberg, opened and concluded the service.

The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust’s exhibition 80 Candles for 80 years is also currently on display in London’s Living Room in City Hall.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Holocaust Memorial Day is a solemn reminder of the atrocities of the past and the shared responsibility that we all carry to ensure that such horrors are never repeated. City Hall’s annual service provides an important moment for us all to hear from survivors and ensure that their experiences are passed on to future generations. As we continue to battle against the scourge of antisemitism and hatred across the globe, their message is more vital than ever. I will continue to do everything in my power to unite communities and show that there is no place for hate in our city, as we continue to build a better London for everyone.”

Deputy Chair of the London Assembly, Andrew Boff said: “The theme of this year’s Holocaust Memorial - ‘Bridging Generations’ - emphasises that the responsibility of remembering and educating ourselves about the horrors and brutality of the holocaust and genocide is a shared one. As the passage of time since the grim events of the Holocaust widens, the cherished opportunity to hear first-hand accounts from survivors and their descendants diminishes; however, we mustn't allow time or distance to desensitise us to the devastating consequences of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides in the world.”

Olivia Marks-Woldman OBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust said: "We are delighted to be partnering with City Hall to mark Holocaust Memorial Day, helping to ensure that remembrance remains visible, meaningful and relevant for people across the City of London. At a time when antisemitism and prejudice are rising in the UK, Holocaust Memorial Day brings communities from all backgrounds, ages and beliefs together to remember the past and stand against hatred in the present.”

Karen Pollock, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: “On Holocaust Memorial Day we remember the six million Jewish men, women and children who were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators;  and we honour the survivors who rebuilt their lives while coming to terms with unimaginable loss. Over 80 years on, the Holocaust is fading further into history and the responsibility of safeguarding the memory of the victims and survivors of the Holocaust passes firmly on to the next generation.

This Holocaust Memorial Day comes at a time of growing concern for Jewish communities around the world. Remembering the persecution and murder of Jewish people in the past remains essential, but it must be accompanied by an urgency to challenge antisemitism today and confront its causes. Today, Londoners stood together in remembrance, underscoring our shared responsibility to carry this memory forward.”