Cllr Anna Smith - The Pledge

Thank you singers.  I also want to thank all the speakers, poets, dancers, actors, documentary makers, artists, musicians, singers from not only today’s civic ceremony but all those who’ve participated in workshops and school assemblies with Historyworks over the past days, weeks, months.  

 

Also, I would like to especially thank Eva Clarke, for helping us mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz to thank Dr Sejad Mekic for leading us to commemorate 25 years since the massacre in Srebenicia.

 

A special thank you too for Michael Rosen for his creative work to help the next generations grapple with the challenges of understanding and interpreting the enormity of the Holocaust.  Plus the composer, Bethany Kirby for such wonderful musical compositions adding a depth of emotion to Michael Rosen’s lyrics.  Last, but not least may I thank the historian Helen Weinstein, who has been working with 20 schools on this Holocaust Education programme and led Singing Assemblies daily! Also as our Art Director for the Cambridge Holocaust Commemoration, may I thank Helen Weinstein, and her entire team here today from Historyworks for their commitment, attention to detail, and creativity!   

 

Please also see more of the HMD school poetry project and artworks on display in their exhibition in the foyer, and again on the big screen here on stage as we move towards the close of our civic HMD commemoration.

 

Importantly, there are follow-on events in our HMD programme in Cambridge over the next weeks which you can read about in the programme - including illustrated talks, film screenings, further fundraising events to support refugees and the homeless – so we can continue learning together and supporting our theme to ‘Stand Together’ to enrich our communities with the helping hand of friendship and love across age groups, faith groups, ethnicities.