In the early morning hours of October 7, 2024, people in over 130 cities around the world gathered for vigils under the motto “Never forget October 7”. Together, they commemorated the catastrophic events that had taken place exactly one year earlier. The Hamas terror attack on southern Israel became the worst pogrom against Jews since the Shoah. The wounds have not healed to this day: 1,170 innocent people were brutally murdered and 255 were taken hostage to the Gaza Strip, where many of them are still being held in inhumane conditions.
In cities such as Berlin, Düsseldorf, Warsaw, Belfast, Lima, New York City and many other places around the world, vigils were held at exactly the same moment–at 6:29 am Israel time, the time when the brutal attack began a year ago. The participants read the names of all the victims as they stood together, united in their solidarity with Israel and in remembrance of those murdered that day. With posters, they remembered the destroyed kibbutzim and moshavim, the fates of the families affected and all the suffering that October 7 brought.
But these vigils were more than just silent remembrance. They were a powerful statement: We have not forgotten you–especially now, when Israel is blasted with international hatred and rejection. A wave of antisemitism spread all around the world after the events of October 7, and even today Jewish people in some countries must ask themselves whether it is still safe to live there. The vigils gave a clear answer: We stand with you, we raise our voices against antisemitism and we will not let the victims of October 7 be forgotten.
The vigils were part of the international movement organized by March of Life. For 17 years, March of Life has mobilized people all over the world with the message “Remembering – Reconciliation – Taking a Stand”. At a time when the memory of the Holocaust is fading and hatred is flaring up again, these vigils send an important message of solidarity and friendship with Israel. The full list of cities that took part in the vigils is attached to this report.
On the evening of October 7, there was an additional live broadcast, which aired at 20:00 (CET) on the March of Life YouTube channel. It was a platform for the voices of those affected in Israel to make their personal stories heard. Among them were Doron Almog, Chairman of the Jewish Agency, Aniella Goldberg, a displaced person from Metulla on the border with Lebanon, Aviva Siegel from Kfar Aza, who was held captive by Hamas for 50 days, and many others. The international memorial event, which was broadcast live from the TOS Church and Conference Center Tübingen, united organizers of vigils and people from all over the world: Israel, you are not alone! We will not forget October 7.
Press reports on the worldwide vigils:
Tagesschau on Instagram (German):
https://www.instagram.com/p/DA0Clu-RhAd/?igsh=NHFoYTM0d2dydnF0