Summer Fundraiser with author Natalie Livingston

During the event, guests heard from keynote speaker and celebrated historian Natalie Livingstone, author of ‘The Nuremberg Women: At the trials that brought the Nazis to justice’, who spoke in conversation with our Chair Sir Sajid Javid. The book, published (in hardback by John Murray) earlier this year and an instant Sunday Times bestseller, sheds new light on the most famous trial of the twentieth century through the histories of eight extraordinary women whose significance has long been overlooked.

Guests also heard moving testimony from Holocaust survivor John Hajdu MBE. Born in Budapest on 29 April 1937, John’s life changed in 1941 when his father was taken to a forced labour camp for Jewish men. By April 1944, all Jewish people in Budapest were forced to wear a yellow star as a mark of identification and move into designated houses. In October 1944, John’s mother was taken away and eventually forced on a march to the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria. During this round-up, John’s aunt managed to hide him in a flat of a non-Jewish neighbour – an act of extraordinary bravery that unquestionably saved his life. John’s life story is a reminder of courage and resilience.

Speaking about the event, Sir Sajid Javid, Chair of HMDT, said: “Hearing directly from survivors like John Hajdu is both a privilege and a reminder of why the work of Holocaust education matters so much. Their experiences remind us that hatred and discrimination can have devastating consequences when left unchallenged.  That is why our theme for Holocaust Memorial Day 2027, No Place for Prejudice, is so important. It encourages us not only to understand the past, but also to reflect on the attitudes and behaviours that continue to divide communities today. If we want a society that is more tolerant, more cohesive and more resilient, we all have a role to play.”