Archbishop of Canterbury joins faith leaders backing Westminster Shoah memorial
Anglican leader writes to Westminster Council alongside Catholic, Jewish and Muslim leaders, supporting the proposal
The Archbishop of Canterbury and a host of other faith leaders have written to Westminster Council to back proposals for a national Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre next to Parliament.
Justin Welby, the head of the Anglican church, wrote to the Council, as did the UK’s most senior Catholic, Jewish and Muslim figures, including Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and Senior Imam Qari Muhammad Asim, chair of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board.
Welby said: “Memory comes from experience and education. Experience is deepened by symbolism. The symbolism of this centre, right next to the home of our democracy, is profound and hugely powerful.”
He added: “I believe it will add significantly to the status of the City of Westminster as a place of government that is a world model. I do hope that these factors will be taken into account.”
The faith leaders’ intervention follows earlier high-level support from the Government, including new Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick MP.
He said: “It is right that this country’s faith leaders have united behind our plans to build a Holocaust Memorial and Education Centre in the shadow of Parliament.”
He added that the project was “a priority for the Government and our Prime Minister [Boris Johnson], and said he was “determined to see it delivered”.
In a letter to Westminster Council, Cardinal Nichols, Chief Rabbi Mirvis and Imam Qari Asim, backed the proposal saying they are “deeply saddened by the rise of outspoken intolerance, racism and hate crimes”.
Saying the memorial proposal “sends a strong and unequivocal message to all people that Britain must be a country committed to supporting tolerance”, they urge Westminster Council to support it, saying there is a “profound message” in the choice of location, in the shadow of Parliament.
They added, it can “help remind each of us… of the dangers of allowing hatred to grow unchecked and the need to vigorously oppose it”.
Plans for the memorial’s location were first mooted during David Cameron’s premiership, and it has support from a string of former prime ministers and the Opposition, but the final say lies with Westminster Council.
Revised plans for the memorial and learning centre were submitted to the council earlier this year following opposition from local residents and Royal Parks, which manages the much-loved Grade-II listed green space alongside the River Thames. It pointed to environmental concerns and a “significant harmful impact,” not least to the roots of the ancient trees lining the space. A decision on the application is expected next month.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
