Haringey’s multi-faith community congregated at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday for a special civic ceremony to mark Holocaust Memorial Day and commemorate the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, as well as all those killed in subsequent genocides.
The Haringey VOX Choir began Sunday’s event with a moving rendition of John Lennon’s Imagine before the Mayor of Haringey, Cllr Lester Buxton, gave some introductory remarks on this year’s theme – the Fragility of Freedom.
Our keynote speaker, the writer and Holocaust survivor Peter Lantos, spoke about the history of the Holocaust in Hungary and his experience of deportation to Bergen-Belsen. His father died of starvation at the camp, while Peter and his mother survived.
Here’s what Peter had to say to us following his emotional address:
There then followed reflective speeches from Haringey’s two local MPs, David Lammy and Catherine West, the Deputy Mayor of London, Joanne McCartney, the Leader of Haringey Council, Cllr Peray Ahmet, the Leader of the Opposition, Cllr Luke Cawley-Harrison, and Spurs ambassador and club legend, Gary Mabbutt.
Sunday’s event concluded with Cllr Sheila Peacock leading the assembled community in affirming our commitment to remembering the Holocaust and representatives of Haringey’s faith communities leading multi-faith prayers prior to some final remarks from Cllr Mark Grosskopf, Chair of the Holocaust Memorial Committee, on the importance of celebrating our freedom and diversity.
We would like to thank Spurs and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for generously hosting this event.
