Islington honours lives lost to Holocaust

The commemoration at Islington Town Hall saw Islington councillors, community representatives, and schoolchildren come together to remember the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, and the millions of people killed under Nazi persecution. 

Students from Islington shared their reflections following a trip to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp Memorial and Museum arranged by Arsenal in the Community, as part of the ‘Bridging Generations’ theme of this year’s commemorations. 

Pupils from St Mary's Primary School, Highbury Fields School, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School, and Arts & Media School Islington also attended the ceremony. 

Cllr Una O’Halloran, Leader of the Council, read a statement of commitment on behalf of the borough, promising to preserve the memory of those murdered in the Holocaust.

The event is just one way that the borough is marking Holocaust Memorial Day, with Chabad Islington also hosting a programme of reflective and creative events, open to residents and visitors. These include:  

• A special Shabbat morning and Holocaust memorial prayers service earlier this morning, where people of all backgrounds came together to reflect and remember. 
• A “Lost but Remembered – Traces of Jewish Legacy in Lithuania” exhibition, taking place at the Ein Sof Gallery on Thursday, 29 January from 6pm to 8pm.  

Rabbi Mendy Korer from Chabad Lubavitch Islington said that Holocaust Memorial Day and related events are an opportunity to “reflect on past hardships in order to bring about positive futures, recognising we all have a shared responsibility in making our communities respectful and kind”. 

Meanwhile, Cllr Sheila Chapman, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Equalities, Communities, and Inclusion, said: “Holocaust Memorial Day reminds us why we must never look away from the consequences of prejudice and discrimination.  

“Islington always has been, and always will be, a place where we stand up against hatred and inequality, and that’s why we’re so proud to be a Borough of Sanctuary.  

“Today’s event showed the strength of our shared commitment to championing diversity and protecting the freedoms we all rely on.” 

The event featured addresses from Cllr O'Halloran, Cllr Chapman, Cllr Safi-Ngongo, and Mayor of Islington Cllr Jason Jackson.