Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony seen by 2 million on BBC

The national commemoration was attended by Their Royal Highnesses, The Prince and Princess of Wales, and the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer MP, along with members of the Cabinet, faith and civic leaders, and celebrities, and was a poignant tribute to the six million Jewish people murdered during the Holocaust as well as all those who suffered under Nazi persecution of other groups.

At the heart of the ceremony in London were Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, whose testimonies underscored the importance of lived experience in preserving the memory of the Holocaust and its enduring lessons. The event also commemorated the more recent genocides recognised as such by the UK government (Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and against the Yazidis) as well as the genocide in Darfur, with the participation of genocide survivors. Both The Prince of Wales and the Prime Minister delivered speeches that reaffirmed the ongoing need to challenge prejudice and intolerance in our society.

Watch the ceremony on iPlayer

Lighting the darkness around the UK

After the ceremony, iconic landmarks in all four nations were lit up as part of the annual Light the Darkness national moment, which is estimated to have been seen by 2.8 million people. Prominent buildings included 10 Downing Street, the Houses of Parliament, Cardiff Castle, Edinburgh Castle, and Stormont, all illuminated in purple as part of a national act of remembrance. Households across the country also participated by placing lit candles in their windows to remember those murdered solely for their identity.

Thousands of local events have also taken place this week throughout the UK in schools, universities, town halls, prisons, workplaces, synagogues, churches, and community centres. In partnership with Royal Mail, 40 million letters with an HMDT postmark were also sent in the UK between 24 and 25 January.

In the lead-up to HMD, to mark the anniversary of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, HMDT launched the 80 Candles for 80 Years project, which engaged communities and schools in creating unique candleholders to honour targets of Nazi persecution. A collaboration between the Rumble Museum at Cheney School and the Museum of Oxford, honouring Holocaust survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, was showcased to His Majesty The King at an event in Buckingham Palace.

Marking HMD 2025

The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT) also partnered with the Football Association (FA) and Jewish News to connect five Premier League legends with five Holocaust survivors. These poignant encounters were shared on the clubs’ social media channels, engaging new audiences and demonstrating the power of sport in raising awareness.

The commemoration at the Guildhall, the Light the Darkness national moment, the 80 Candles of 80 Years initiative, and HMDT’s activities with the FA have been widely covered across broadcast, radio, and print, reaching millions of people across the UK and internationally.

The overwhelming engagement across the country demonstrates the UK’s unwavering commitment to learning from the Holocaust for a better future.

Commenting on the figures, Olivia Marks-Woldman OBE, CEO of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, said:

“There is no doubt that there has been exceptional interest in this year’s commemorations, and we are delighted to have ensured that so many people had opportunities to mark HMD in different ways. This year may have been one of the last major anniversaries where Jewish survivors of the Holocaust can share their witness testimonies firsthand, so it is more important than ever to have their experiences heard and recorded for posterity.

“We are immensely grateful to the BBC for their support in broadcasting the national commemoration, which enabled more people than ever before to participate in HMD and helped bring Holocaust education to new audiences. And that has only been magnified by the sight on national TV news of iconic landmarks floodlit in purple across the UK to mark Holocaust Memorial Day, including the Houses of Parliament, Cardiff and Edinburgh Castles, Stormont and a host of other public buildings in our major cities. In this significant anniversary year, we are also thrilled that so many local communities hosted their own commemorations, and we applaud the efforts of thousands of community HMD organisers around the country who have spent time ensuring people can join together in learning about the Holocaust – for a better future.”

Barrister and television personality Rob Rinder, who, in his capacity as Chair of HMDT’s Advisory Board, played a major role in the national ceremony, said:

“It was a pleasure and a privilege to take part in this year’s commemorations, and these remarkable viewing figures have far exceeded my own expectations. On the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, there couldn’t be a more urgent time to listen to the experiences of survivors, learn from the lessons of the past, and imbue people with the power to be courageous and speak up against hatred and intolerance.”

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