London’s City Hall became a place of remembrance and reflection today as Mayor Sadiq Khan and the Deputy Chair of the London Assembly, Andrew Boff AM, hosted a commemorative service

ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day on 27 January.

The annual ceremony, organised in partnership with the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust and the Holocaust Educational Trust, brought together Jewish community leaders, Holocaust survivors and survivors of more recent genocides. Together, they paid tribute to the millions who were murdered during the Holocaust and to all those affected by genocide across the world.

This year’s Holocaust Memorial Day theme, “Bridging Generations,” focuses on the responsibility of passing on survivors’ stories as the number of those who lived through the Holocaust continues to decline. The theme urges people of all ages to listen, learn and ensure that remembrance does not end when survivors are no longer able to tell their stories themselves.

Central to the City Hall service were powerful personal testimonies. Holocaust survivor Annick Lever BEM spoke of her childhood escape after being smuggled out of prison by her father while she faced deportation to the Drancy transit camp in Nazi-occupied France. Safet Vukalić BEM shared his experience as a survivor of the Bosnian genocide, reminding attendees that genocide is not confined to history books.

The Mayor delivered a reading during the ceremony, alongside contributions from Andrew Boff AM, Holocaust Memorial Day Trust Chief Executive Olivia Marks-Woldman OBE, and Interim Chief Programmes and Outreach Officer Anna Bradford.

Young ambassadors from the Holocaust Educational Trust also addressed the audience, reflecting on their participation in the *Lessons from Auschwitz* programme. Regional Ambassador Amberley Thay formally delivered the Statement of Commitment, reaffirming the pledge to remember the past and challenge hatred and prejudice today.

The memorial prayer El Male Rachamim was read by Rabbi Nick Kett of Radlett United Synagogue, before Annick Lever BEM and Safet Vukalić BEM jointly lit a memorial candle in honour of victims and survivors. Musical performances by Canadian singer Lenka Lichtenberg, whose family roots are Czech-Jewish, opened and closed the service, adding a poignant cultural tribute to the occasion.

Alongside the ceremony, City Hall is currently hosting the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust exhibition “80 Candles for 80 Years,” on display in London’s Living Room. The exhibition invites visitors to reflect on eight decades since the liberation of Auschwitz and the enduring importance of remembrance.

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.” Photo by pam fray, Wikimedia commons.