Last Sunday around 500 people joined together in memory of holocaust and genocide victims.
The Holocaust Memorial, organised by Barnet Council, was held to remember the more than six million Jewish people killed during the Second World War.
Described as a 'powerful memorial which moved some people in the audience to tears', the inspiring event was staged just before the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, where more than one million Jewish people were killed.
Victims of other atrocities including the Bosnian war were also in the thoughts of the hundreds of people who packed out the Quad to listen to guest speakers and music groups.
The MDX memorial, which had the theme - 'Stand Together', was particularly moving as the borough of Barnet has the UK's largest Jewish population with around 54,000 residents according to the 2011 Census.
Rachel Landau, (pictured above) a second year MDX student, who is Vice-President of the Jewish Society, gave a heartfelt speech recalling how her family were forced to flee Germany to England.
She concluded: "Whilst in the past there were periods of history where we had to hide our beliefs and protect ourselves from persecution, we are now so grateful that we live in a country where we live with our Jewish pride and we live side by side with people of all faiths and beliefs."
Guest speakers were Cllr Stock, the Mayor of Barnet, Holocaust survivor Ivan Shaw, Councillor Daniel Thomas, the Leader of the Council, Multi Faith Youth Forum members, Pupils from Finchley Catholic School - who talked about lessons from Auschwitz - Mustafa Field, Director of Faith Forum London, Bosnian War survivor Tajana Goldberg, Rabbi Miriam Berger, Rabbi Mark Goldsmith and Revd Bernd Koschland.
The event featured music from the Barnet Band, the London Cantorial Singers, the Alyth Youth Choir and the Youth Music Centre.
James Kennedy, Interim Vice-Chancellor of Middlesex University who also spoke at the memorial, said: ‘We are here to ensure that we do not forget.. In remembering, we remind our world of the need to respect difference, champion inclusion and create a shared sense of belonging.’
The MDX Holocaust Memorial
The Holocaust Memorial, organised by Barnet Council, was held to remember the more than six million Jewish people killed during the Second World War.
Described as a 'powerful memorial which moved some people in the audience to tears', the inspiring event was staged just before the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, where more than one million Jewish people were killed.
Victims of other atrocities including the Bosnian war were also in the thoughts of the hundreds of people who packed out the Quad to listen to guest speakers and music groups.
The MDX memorial, which had the theme - 'Stand Together', was particularly moving as the borough of Barnet has the UK's largest Jewish population with around 54,000 residents according to the 2011 Census.
Rachel Landau, (pictured above) a second year MDX student, who is Vice-President of the Jewish Society, gave a heartfelt speech recalling how her family were forced to flee Germany to England.
She concluded: "Whilst in the past there were periods of history where we had to hide our beliefs and protect ourselves from persecution, we are now so grateful that we live in a country where we live with our Jewish pride and we live side by side with people of all faiths and beliefs."
Guest speakers were Cllr Stock, the Mayor of Barnet, Holocaust survivor Ivan Shaw, Councillor Daniel Thomas, the Leader of the Council, Multi Faith Youth Forum members, Pupils from Finchley Catholic School - who talked about lessons from Auschwitz - Mustafa Field, Director of Faith Forum London, Bosnian War survivor Tajana Goldberg, Rabbi Miriam Berger, Rabbi Mark Goldsmith and Revd Bernd Koschland.
The event featured music from the Barnet Band, the London Cantorial Singers, the Alyth Youth Choir and the Youth Music Centre.
James Kennedy, Interim Vice-Chancellor of Middlesex University who also spoke at the memorial, said: ‘We are here to ensure that we do not forget.. In remembering, we remind our world of the need to respect difference, champion inclusion and create a shared sense of belonging.’
Find out more about the MDX Student Union Jewish Society.
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