The Greater London Authority (GLA) will hold its annual Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony in the Chamber at City Hall from 12pm-12:45pm on Tuesday 24 January. The theme of this year’s event is ‘Speak up Speak out’.

The ceremony will commemorate all those who were victims of the Holocaust and other acts of genocide. It will be opened by Jennette Arnold AM, Chair of the London Assembly and include a reading by Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

Personal testimony about the Holocaust will be delivered by Anita Lasker-Wallfisch.

Anita was born in Breslau, then part of Germany, where from a young age she learnt to play the cello, an instrument on which she excelled. In 1942 Anita’s parents were deported to a death camp and murdered. In the factory where she was conscripted to work, Anita forged papers for PoWs before being caught, imprisoned and then sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau where she played in the camp orchestra.

The event will also include contributions from students from London schools who have participated in the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Lessons from Auschwitz Project. Rabbi Dr Abraham Levy, Communal Rabbi and Spiritual Head of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews’ Congregation will give and address and music will be performed by Abraham Jacobs-Wallfisch, grandson of Anita Lasker-Wallfish.

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: 'Holocaust Memorial Day is our chance to remember the lives lost, as well as the remarkable resilience of the survivors and everyone affected by one of the darkest periods in human history. It is also an opportunity to ensure that our young people learn about these tragic events

Chair of the London Assembly Jennette Arnold said:  ‘Our annual Holocaust Memorial ceremony at City Hall is filled with sadness for the millions who were murdered, horror at the bigotry and ignorance at the root of such inhumanity, and hope born of the inspirational courage and determination shown by the survivors who come to share their stories. We owe it to them and the millions whose voices were silenced to commit ourselves to speak up and speak out whenever and wherever we encounter the language of hatred.”

The ceremony will be webcast live.

Media are invited to attend; public attendance is by invitation only.

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