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Telegraph
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Why the wrong memorial will water down the Holocaust
On Wednesday, the Holocaust Memorial Bill returns to the House of Lords. What a waste of energy over seven and more years this project has been. The motives are good. Unfortunately, the idea is not. In the great battle against growing anti-Semitism in our society, precious weapons are being mistargeted. There are strong second-order objections to the memorial and its accompanying 'learning centre'. They include the vast cost, over £200 million; the lack of room in Victoria Tower Gardens and the loss of green space; the security risk at the heart of government and Parliament which the police and parliamentary authorities increasingly fail to control; and the fact that the gardens will soon be overcrowded by the overspill for the coming 30-year project to restore the fabric of the Houses of Parliament next door. There will be parliamentary amendments tomorrow to address these last two points. Most of the Bill's opponents, many of whom are Jewish, do want a memorial, but a much smaller and more beautiful one. The present design is a grandiose hand-me-down, by the somewhat discredited architect David Adjaye, already used elsewhere. Opponents also do not want the learning centre. Tristram Hunt, the distinguished director of the V&A, thinks it could be much better managed at the Imperial War Museum. The key objection relates to what is really being commemorated. If you track the history of Holocaust Memorial Day since it was instituted a quarter of a century ago, you will find increasing pressure to water down the concept. There have been several occasions – ITV's Good Morning Britain this year, for example – in which coverage has entirely failed to mention the Jews at all, let alone the fact that the Holocaust killed six million of them. People such as the former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, unfailingly hostile to Israel and previously friendly to murderous Hamas, have thus found it possible to take part in Holocaust Memorial Day without having to confront the grim truth of history. Over time, the uniqueness of the Jewish experience thus slips away. A process begins in which the word 'Holocaust' is taken to stand for any persecution of any group by any other group. From there, it is a short step to suggesting, as pro-Gaza mobs always do, that Israel itself is committing genocide against Palestinians. This is not an isolated outbreak of a few fanatics, but a deliberate plan to strip the Jewish state – and all Jews – of their moral authority. The ultimate aim is to preach the equation 'Jews = Israel = Nazis'. This libel is so widespread as to have become one of the main tropes of anti-Semitism. The danger is that the wrong sort of commemoration will facilitate this. Delegations from anti-Israel countries and 'humanitarian' organisations emerging from Parliament will stroll into Victoria Tower Gardens, pose outside the Holocaust Memorial and deliver their piece to camera about alleged war crimes, starvation of children etc. You can just imagine the ineffable Greta Thunberg doing exactly that. Sad to say, both main political parties are putting on whips to get the memorial Bill through Parliament. This suggests an underlying uncertainty about the rightness of their cause. Traditionally, votes on matters of conscience are not whipped. Surely Holocaust commemoration is a classic conscience issue in which party considerations have no place. I fear that establishment politicians, frightened of being labelled anti-Semitic, have supported this great big project without thinking about it. Yet thought is exactly what is needed to correct the errors of Holocaust education today. By the way, there exists a splendid role model for commemoration in, of all places, Poland. The POLIN museum in Warsaw movingly and expertly relates its country's part of the full story we all need to know – how Jews lived there for a thousand years and how, in the end, and most horribly, they died. Weathering the storm Like many parishes, our village held its annual fete last Saturday. The problem, in advance, was the weather. Nowadays, weather forecasting is so much more accurate that if it says, two or three days before, that it will rain, it probably will. So event-planners must take it seriously. This avoids the occasional spectacular washouts of the past, after which everyone used to say, through gritted teeth, 'Rain failed to dampen the spirits'. Our organisers therefore did the prudent thing and announced that the fete would not be held in the public garden by the church but in the village's two interconnected halls. The trouble was that, on the day, there was virtually no rain during the fete's opening hours. We all felt slightly silly because we could have stuck with the original plan and saved ourselves a lot of trouble. Should we have followed the old way and just held the thing outdoors, rain or shine? I am not sure of the answer. But I do know that everyone enjoyed the make-do atmosphere among the crowded stalls and the noisy Punch-and-Judy show inside, finding community in adversity. Business was brisk. The splash headline in our local paper says, 'Post office to remain open'. My first reaction was to laugh at this non-news. After all, it is in the nature of shops to open. But I quickly realised I was wrong. It was indeed news. The unspoken policy of the modern Post Office is to close itself down. A decision in the opposite direction certainly deserves the front page.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why the wrong memorial will water down the Holocaust
On Wednesday, the Holocaust Memorial Bill returns to the House of Lords. What a waste of energy over seven and more years this project has been. The motives are good. Unfortunately, the idea is not. In the great battle against growing anti-Semitism in our society, precious weapons are being mistargeted. There are strong second-order objections to the memorial and its accompanying 'learning centre'. They include the vast cost, over £200 million; the lack of room in Victoria Tower Gardens and the loss of green space; the security risk at the heart of government and Parliament which the police and parliamentary authorities increasingly fail to control; and the fact that the gardens will soon be overcrowded by the overspill for the coming 30-year project to restore the fabric of the Houses of Parliament next door. There will be parliamentary amendments tomorrow to address these last two points. Most of the Bill's opponents, many of whom are Jewish, do want a memorial, but a much smaller and more beautiful one. The present design is a grandiose hand-me-down, by the somewhat discredited architect David Adjaye, already used elsewhere. Opponents also do not want the learning centre. Tristram Hunt, the distinguished director of the V&A, thinks it could be much better managed at the Imperial War Museum. The key objection relates to what is really being commemorated. If you track the history of Holocaust Memorial Day since it was instituted a quarter of a century ago, you will find increasing pressure to water down the concept. There have been several occasions – ITV's Good Morning Britain this year, for example – in which coverage has entirely failed to mention the Jews at all, let alone the fact that the Holocaust killed six million of them. People such as the former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, unfailingly hostile to Israel and previously friendly to murderous Hamas, have thus found it possible to take part in Holocaust Memorial Day without having to confront the grim truth of history. Over time, the uniqueness of the Jewish experience thus slips away. A process begins in which the word 'Holocaust' is taken to stand for any persecution of any group by any other group. From there, it is a short step to suggesting, as pro-Gaza mobs always do, that Israel itself is committing genocide against Palestinians. This is not an isolated outbreak of a few fanatics, but a deliberate plan to strip the Jewish state – and all Jews – of their moral authority. The ultimate aim is to preach the equation 'Jews = Israel = Nazis'. This libel is so widespread as to have become one of the main tropes of anti-Semitism. The danger is that the wrong sort of commemoration will facilitate this. Delegations from anti-Israel countries and 'humanitarian' organisations emerging from Parliament will stroll into Victoria Tower Gardens, pose outside the Holocaust Memorial and deliver their piece to camera about alleged war crimes, starvation of children etc. You can just imagine the ineffable Greta Thunberg doing exactly that. Sad to say, both main political parties are putting on whips to get the memorial Bill through Parliament. This suggests an underlying uncertainty about the rightness of their cause. Traditionally, votes on matters of conscience are not whipped. Surely Holocaust commemoration is a classic conscience issue in which party considerations have no place. I fear that establishment politicians, frightened of being labelled anti-Semitic, have supported this great big project without thinking about it. Yet thought is exactly what is needed to correct the errors of Holocaust education today. By the way, there exists a splendid role model for commemoration in, of all places, Poland. The POLIN museum in Warsaw movingly and expertly relates its country's part of the full story we all need to know – how Jews lived there for a thousand years and how, in the end, and most horribly, they died. Like many parishes, our village held its annual fete last Saturday. The problem, in advance, was the weather. Nowadays, weather forecasting is so much more accurate that if it says, two or three days before, that it will rain, it probably will. So event-planners must take it seriously. This avoids the occasional spectacular washouts of the past, after which everyone used to say, through gritted teeth, 'Rain failed to dampen the spirits'. Our organisers therefore did the prudent thing and announced that the fete would not be held in the public garden by the church but in the village's two interconnected halls. The trouble was that, on the day, there was virtually no rain during the fete's opening hours. We all felt slightly silly because we could have stuck with the original plan and saved ourselves a lot of trouble. Should we have followed the old way and just held the thing outdoors, rain or shine? I am not sure of the answer. But I do know that everyone enjoyed the make-do atmosphere among the crowded stalls and the noisy Punch-and-Judy show inside, finding community in adversity. Business was brisk. The splash headline in our local paper says, 'Post office to remain open'. My first reaction was to laugh at this non-news. After all, it is in the nature of shops to open. But I quickly realised I was wrong. It was indeed news. The unspoken policy of the modern Post Office is to close itself down. A decision in the opposite direction certainly deserves the front page. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
The National
16-05-2025
- The National
What Donald Trump will see inside Abu Dhabi's Abrahamic Family House
Abu Dhabi's dedication to religious tolerance is enshrined in the Abrahamic Family House, the stunning cultural and spiritual precinct on Saadiyat Island. The complex is also on the schedule for US President Donald Trump on the final day of his four-day Gulf trip. He has already visited Riyadh and Doha before arriving in the UAE capital. Launched in 2023, the space celebrates the shared values of Islam, Judaism and Christianity with a mosque, synagogue and church on one site. Designed by Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye, the Abrahamic Family House is open daily to worshippers and visitors for tours and prayer services. If you are visiting for the first time, here is what to expect. Driving to the Abrahamic Family House is relatively straightforward. Take the Saadiyat Island exit off Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street. The site is beside the soon-to-open Zayed National Museum and Louvre Abu Dhabi is also nearby. After parking in the underground car park and passing through a security scan, visitors are ushered towards the Welcome Centre. The large rectangular space is filled with warm lighting and has an elegant yet minimal reception booth. It also doubles up as an events space. The walls display historical milestones that led to the creation of the Abrahamic Family House. The centrepiece is the Document on Human Fraternity – a joint statement signed by the late Pope Francis as head of the Catholic Church, and Sheikh Ahmed El Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar, in Abu Dhabi in 2019. The overall atmosphere is calming and sets the tone for a journey of contemplation and reverence. The elevated space, accessed via a set of stairs or a lift, is an ideal point to begin your visit. It allows you to appreciate the Abrahamic Family House's collective objective as the garden, which contains more than 200 local plants, connects all three houses of worship. Look carefully and you can see surrounding Saadiyat Island residential communities, Louvre Abu Dhabi, NYU Abu Dhabi and Berklee Abu Dhabi university. It brings the significance of the Abrahamic Family House to light. This is a place that connects faith with community, and the wisdom and treasures of the past with the enterprising promise of the future. The three houses of worship share similar architectural elements and materials, but each has its own style. Named after the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, the Imam Al Tayeb Mosque can hold 300 people. The exterior's minimalist design is made up of seven arches, reflecting the importance of the number in Islam. Separate ablution areas flank the mosque and there are plenty of cubby holes in which to place shoes before entering. Step inside and you enter a space as intimate as it is cavernous. Instead of ornate chandeliers, a feature of most mosques, there are discreet and powerful spotlights. The high ceilings are domed to ensure the sound reverberates richly, while the soft auburn carpet has ingrained lines to help worshippers align themselves for prayer. Generous shafts of light pierce through windows, which are engraved with Islamic motifs. It is a tranquil space suited for moments of reflection. The Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue has seven pillars on the ground and eight above, supporting the roof. The message being, according to our guide, that God is bigger than any human creation. The synagogue is named after the 12th-century Jewish scholar and astronomer who worked in Morocco and Egypt. There is a mikveh – a bath used for ritual immersion – outside the prayer hall, as well as a smaller space for religious studies. The Ten Commandments are printed in Hebrew and flank the walls of the prayer hall. A suspended bronze mesh structure descends from a central skylight inside. Our guide says the zigzag shapes of the structure are similar to tents and represent the Jewish communities of old congregating to practise their religion. A plain golden crucifix hangs in the middle of the Catholic St Francis Church, to welcome Christians of all denominations. It is an airy and acoustically pristine space defined by floor-to-ceiling windows and a wooden canopy. The altar is slightly elevated and the pews are spacious enough to accommodate up to 300 people. Outside is a small triangular pool of water to symbolise the Trinity of Christianity and the three Abrahamic faiths. Regular prayer services take place, including the predawn fajr at the mosque. A programme of events, from cultural discussions to community gatherings, take place across the site. In addition to ticketed daily guided tours, each house of worship organises events relevant to its faith. Interfaith events, from guest lectures to conferences, are also held at the venue. All events are regularly updated on the Abrahamic Family House's website and social media channel. Information about the Abrahamic Family House is available at
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Construmat Showcases the Transformation of Construction Towards Sustainability
BARCELONA, Spain, May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- From May 20 to 22, Construmat returns as Spain's leading trade fair for the construction industry, expanding in number of companies, international presence and scale. It will showcase technologies, systems, and materials aimed at advancing more sustainable and efficient construction models. The Fira de Barcelona event will also offer ideas and experiences to reduce the sector's environmental impact, increase digitalization, attract talent, and address the housing shortage crisis. In its 24th edition, Construmat will gather over 350 exhibitors from 22 countries in Barcelona, expecting to exceed 22,000 visitors. The fair has grown by 24% in participating companies and 15% in occupied space compared to last year. With a commercial offering focused on sustainability and efficiency improvement, Construmat presents the latest in machinery and tools, industrialized construction, walls, structures, façades and roofs, insulation, waterproofing, urban planning and outdoor spaces, design and interior design, flooring and cladding, BIM and ICT for projects and construction, kitchens, bathrooms, lighting, energy management and capture, installations, enclosures, carpentry, locksmithing, and solar protection, among others. This year, the fair has increased its international presence, with 35% of the commercial exhibition coming from outside Spain. Companies and group pavilions from France, Germany, Portugal, China, Poland, Belgium, Austria, Morocco, Italy, the UK, the Netherlands, Egypt, Andorra, Lithuania, Hungary, and Japan will participate. Turkey will be the guest country, with over 20 exhibitors—mainly manufacturers of construction materials and machinery. Turkey will also feature prominently in the fair's activity program, sharing success stories and participating in business meetings with a strong commercial and institutional delegation. Disruptive Startups The commercial area will also host 40 startups offering technological solutions to optimize processes, reduce costs, and improve efficiency in the construction sector. Innovations include nanocoatings to enhance material functionality and durability, sensors for real-time concrete strength monitoring, and systems for infrastructure analysis using drones and 3D technology. This area will also feature talks, pitching sessions, and networking opportunities for startups to present their projects to potential investors, buyers, and partners. Congress, sessions, and workshops The fair will offer 120 activities, including the standout Sustainable Building Congress. Over 100 national and international speakers will address topics such as affordable social housing, building health and biohabitability, and practical applications of AI in architecture, construction, and public works. Keynote speakers include architects David Adjaye, Peris + Toral, Stephen Bates, and Mohammed Adib. Photo - - View original content:
Bloomberg
13-05-2025
- General
- Bloomberg
An NYC Art Dealer Is Opening His Wild Mansion to the Public
'Are we going to mention the building?' asks New York art dealer Adam Lindemann, standing in the polished entry hall of his Upper East Side mansion. In fact, it's kind of impossible not to mention the building. A jet-black poured concrete structure designed by the architect David Adjaye, it's hidden behind a staid, 1897 carriage house facade, which the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission dictated remain unaltered. Inside, though, the home is ultracontemporary, with a bridge connecting the street to the main structure, whose asymmetrical windows consciously mimic Marcel Breuer's original Whitney Museum of American Art building on Madison Avenue a few blocks away. Look up as you enter, and you'll see a glass catwalk leading to a small, wood-paneled second-floor library that fronts the street.
