Community
Thousands to honour Holocaust survivors outside Parliament on Yom HaShoah
‘The ceremony will be a profound moment of unity, remembrance, and hope’
March 25, 2025 11:52
‘The ceremony will be a profound moment of unity, remembrance, and hope’
March 25, 2025 11:52Yom HaShoah, the Jewish community’s day of remembrance for victims of the Holocaust, will be marked with one of the largest events in the history of the occasion, say organisers.
Thousands of people, including survivors, refugees, dignitaries and families from all Jewish denominations will come together to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Holocaust and the liberation of Bergen-Belsen by British Armed Forces.
Chair of Yom HaShoah UK Neil Martin OBE said that the event in Victoria Tower Gardens, the proposed site of the new Holocaust Memorial, “may be the last major anniversary where survivors and refugees are present in meaningful numbers”.
He added: “The ceremony will be a profound moment of unity, remembrance, and hope, standing as a testament to the community’s unwavering commitment to keeping the memory of the Shoah alive.”
The event will include testimony from survivors and refugees, speeches from community leaders, a yellow candle-lighting ceremony involving 80 representatives from Jewish charities, secondary schools, youth organisations, and student groups, with each flame symbolising the community’s promise that “’never again’ truly means ‘never again’”, said Martin.
A highlight of the ceremony will be a performance by a 300-strong children’s choir from 17 Jewish schools across London, singing Never Again, Yom HaShoah UK’s official anthem, composed by award-winning international songwriter Stephen Melzack.
“Standing in the shadow of Parliament, on the very ground where the UK’s new Holocaust Memorial will be built, this year’s Yom HaShoah will be a defining moment,” said Martin.
“We have a duty not just to remember, but to show up – to be counted among those who stood with our survivors, who bore witness, and who pledged to carry forward the legacy of the Shoah.
“This is not just another commemoration. This is our Mount Sinai moment – a chance for our community to reaffirm its promise to the survivors and refugees among us. It is a call to every generation to take up the torch of memory and ensure it never fades.”
He said that Yom HaShoah UK was working closely with the Metropolitan Police, CST and the Royal Parks to ensure participants’ safety. Tickets are free, but pre-registration is required for all attendees.
The National Yom HaShoah UK Commemoration will take place on the evening of Wednesday, 23rd April 2025. For further information and to book your free tickets, click here