Holocaust Memorial Day Looks to the Future on 80th Anniversary of Auschwitz Liberation

Major outdoor advertising sites across the UK, including the Piccadilly Lights, are being given over to recognise Holocaust Memorial Day today, which marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the biggest Nazi death camp.

In a striking campaign by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT) and its agency partner, St Luke’s, the focus for 2025 is 'Remembering the past for a better future.' The creative idea is based around a simple photograph of a real-life grandfather and granddaughter, whose hands come together to cradle a candle which – as well as being HMDT’s symbol – provides a universal emblem of peace and remembrance. 

The campaign was inspired by the knowledge that the 80th anniversary is likely to be the last milestone year where Auschwitz survivors are able to share their testimonies first-hand. As a result, the need for younger generations to keep their memories alive is more important than ever. It was shot by renowned portrait photographer James Day, who provided his services pro bono. Ocean Outdoor and JCDecaux worked in partnership with HMDT to ensure widespread coverage across their OOH spaces. 

Holocaust Memorial Day remembers the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust along with the millions of people killed under Nazi persecution of other groups, and the lives lost during more recent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur, and the Yazidi genocide.

The event will take on an added momentum this year, with the BBC broadcasting the annual Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony on television for the first time since 2020. There will also be a wide range of programming across BBC TV, radio and online, as well as full coverage of the Auschwitz Ceremony from Poland, and commemorative events taking place across the UK. 

At 8pm, the UK is invited to join the annual “Light the Darkness” moment. As well as lighting up famous buildings and landmarks around the country in purple, the campaign invites the country to light candles in their windows as a way to remember the dead and to stand against prejudice and hatred today. The HDMT recognises not only the Holocaust but also Nazi persecution of other groups and the more recent genocides recognised by the UK government as well as the genocide in Darfur. 

St Luke’s creative will be seen across hundreds of digital OOH sites nationwide, including the iconic Piccadilly Lights. While it is a simple image, it will be a striking contrast to the usual bright lights by showing a single, flickering flame surrounded by darkness.

There are two versions of the digital poster, both of which show the same image. Starting at 10am and running throughout the day, audiences will see the message “Light the Darkness at 8pm and join us in a national moment of remembrance.” After 8pm, the message will change to say “Help us Light the Darkness. Learn more at hmd.org.uk”.

Olivia Marks-Woldman OBE, chief executive officer, said, “On the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, we are proud to partner once again with St Luke’s for this amazing outdoor campaign, reaching millions of people around the country. 

“As the Holocaust fades further into history, it becomes increasingly challenging for younger generations to connect with a tragedy so distant from their own experiences. This is why St Luke’s campaign, featuring a poignant image of a grandfather and granddaughter cradling a candle, is so powerful - it symbolises the bridge between generations, ensuring that the lessons of the Holocaust endure and are never forgotten. We hope that viewers will be inspired to be torchbearers too, lighting the darkness for a better future."

Ed Palmer, managing director of St Luke’s, said, “We're honoured to play a part in Holocaust Memorial Day, especially in this important 80th anniversary year. Now more than ever, we hope the message 'for a better future' prompts reflection on the Holocaust and other genocides of the past, as well as hope for a better future.”

Richard Denney, joint chief creative officer at St Luke’s, said, “The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust is marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz with a poignant message: we can all learn from the past for a better future; We are proud to play our part alongside our incredible media partners in sharing this message.” 

This is the third year St Luke’s has partnered with the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. Agency staff were inspired to become involved with the Trust’s work after Vera Schaufeld MBE, one of the Jewish children helped to escape to the UK by Sir Nicholas Winton in 1939, gave a talk at a St Luke’s Clever Breakfast session in 2022.