Thursday, June 10, 2010

International Brigade memorial at Nottingham County Hall - redux

Last year I wrote about the Tory vandalism to the International Brigade Memorial at Nottinghamshire County Hall.

On Saturday 17th July there is a rededication ceremony.
The re-dedication is an opportunity to remember those who went to Spain to fight fascism and also to counter the blatant attempts to bury the memorial's still radical political content.

The event will be held at County Hall, West Bridgford, Nottingham, Saturday July 17, from 10.30am - 12 noon. There will be speakers from the Trades Council, International Brigades Memorial Trust, Labour Party, LibDems and the Spanish Embassy have been invited.

Entertainment will be provided by Nottingham Clarion Choir.

[Starting the next week] the city council will be hosting a display organised by the International Brigades Memorial Trust which is touring the country.

The exhibition called "Antifascista!" is about British and Irish volunteers in the civil war and will be on display in the Council House, Market Square from 12 noon Tuesday July 20 - Saturday 31 July.
As one of the plaques says:
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In honour of the volunteers who left Nottinghamshire to fight in the International Brigade Spain 1936 - 1939.

They fought alongside the Spanish people to stop Fascism and save Liberty and Peace for all

They went because their open eyes could see no other way.

NO PASARAN
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2 comments:

Lisa Rullsenberg said...

Just to clarify then: have they re-arranged again the plaques BACK to their old layout or not? Whilst a rededication ceremony is nice, unless the display returns to visibility for its audience then one rededication ceremony doesn't undo the Council's actions...

I hope I'm only doing Cutts and co a diservice because otherwise it would imply they continue to diminish the sacrifices of those who fought.

Good news about the exhibition though - and nice it will be in the Council House...

Neil said...

I'm unsure as to what the re-dedication actually is but hopefully it's a kick up the butt for the Tory administration.