London commemoration for Kindertransport, 80 Years on

Voices beyond Divisions

A commemoration for the Kindertransport, 80 Years On, organised by Safe House, took place at the Friends House, Euston, on Thursday 15 November. About 1,000 supporters filled the Quaker's Conference Room to honour everyone involved in the rescue of 10,000 children rescued from Nazi Germany in 1938, and to support the Our Turn campaign to rescue child refugees today.

Among those present were Sir Alf Dubs who came to England as a child with the Kindertransport and many MPs. The keynote speaker was Caroline Nokes, Minister for Immigration. Numerous city council representatives from around the UK were also in attendance, from councils that have pledged or in the process of pledging to each take from 30-100 unaccompanied children over the next ten years.

The Commemoration opened with Michael Newman, CEO, The Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR) recounting the creation of the Kindertransport. Rabbi Janner-Klausner, Senior Rabbi, Reform Judaism sang the beautiful prayer L'dor Vador, from generation to generation.

Caroline Nokes said the highlight of her job is the resettling of refugees. She shared the different challenges connected with her position, especially in view of Brexit. There have been three ways the unaccompanied children have been able to legally enter the UK: Vulnerable Children's Resettlement Scheme (VCRS), Dubs Amendment and the Dublin III Regulation Council Regulation (EU) No 604/2013.

One of the aims of the Our Turn campaign, led by Lord Dubs, is to create a new Kindertransport-inspired scheme for 'children at risk'. This new scheme would effectively extend the scope of the VCRS beyond the Middle East to also relocate 'children at risk' from Europe. This would combine the best of the Dublin III provision, the 'Dubs' scheme and the VCRS into a new leading scheme to assist the most vulnerable children and their families. The scheme is in line with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) request for the UK to resettle 10,000 people a year beyond 2020. Lord Dubs is calling for the UK government to ensure just 1,000 a year of these are children.

Highlights in the commemoration included music by Hashkiveinu accompanied by a children's choir, Voices beyond Divisions.

Dame Esther Rantzen OBE dramatically demonstrated Lives Saved, when she asked for all to stand who had been saved by Kindertransport. A couple of dozen stood up. Then Dame Esther asked for their children to stand, also the grandchildren to join them, as well as the great-grandchildren. One couldn't count all the lives saved by Kinderstransport! In the end the entire audience stood as supporters for Our Turn were asked to join the others. Lord Dubs received a standing ovation for his response to Dame Esther's demonstration.

Reflections and Prayers were led by the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, Ephraim Mirvis, followed by the Most Rev Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, Presiding Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church, Sheikh Ahmed Babikir and the Most Revd Kevin McDonald Emeritus Archbishop of Southwark.

LINKS

Safe Passage UK - www.safepassage.or.uk/

Our Turn Campaign, Safe Passage - www.safepassage.org.uk/resource/its-our-turn-campaign-pack/