A coalition of prominent charities, including Save the Children and Oxfam, projected a short film onto Liverpool's Royal Liver Building on Sunday, September 28. The projection, timed to coincide with the Labour Party Conference, featured a host of celebrities reciting a poem to highlight the number of children killed in Gaza since October 2023.
Key Takeaways
- A film was projected onto the Liver Building featuring celebrities like Annie Lennox and Guy Pearce.
- The event was organized by Save the Children, Choose Love, Oxfam, and Anti-Slavery International.
- It was timed to coincide with the Labour Party Conference held nearby at the ACC Liverpool.
- The film highlighted that over 20,000 children have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, according to Gazan health authorities.
- Organizers called on the Labour Party to suspend UK arms transfers to Israel.
A Poignant Message on a City Landmark
Visitors to Liverpool's waterfront on Sunday evening witnessed a powerful visual display on the facade of the iconic Royal Liver Building. A short film, organized by a group of humanitarian organizations, was projected for public viewing. The screening was strategically planned to occur during the Labour Party's annual conference, which is taking place for the fourth consecutive year at the nearby Arena and Convention Centre (ACC).
The film featured well-known figures from entertainment and the arts, including singer Annie Lennox, actor Guy Pearce, and presenter Laura Whitmore. They were joined by others in reciting the words of the poem "Don't Mention the Children," written by former Children's Laureate Michael Rosen.
The Poem's Origins
Michael Rosen wrote "Don't Mention the Children" in 2014. According to a report in The Guardian at the time, the poem was a direct response to news that the Israeli government had prohibited a radio advertisement that named children who had been killed in Gaza during the conflict that year.
Details of the Projection and its Content
The central message of the projected film focused on the impact of the ongoing conflict on children. A key part of the text displayed on the Liver Building stated: "Since October 2023, more than 20,000 children have been killed in Gaza by Israeli forces."
This figure is based on data from health authorities in Gaza. Save the Children noted that some independent surveys suggest the actual number could be significantly higher. The poem itself, recited by the participants, has reportedly gained over 10 million views on social media since its release two weeks prior to the projection.
A Star-Studded List of Participants
The campaign brought together a wide range of public figures to lend their voices to the cause. The full list of participants in the film and social media campaign is extensive.
- Featured in the film: Annie Lennox, Guy Pearce, Laura Whitmore, Nadia Sawalha, Dame Vanessa Redgrave, Ambika Mod, Misan Harriman, Poppy Delevingne, and Michael Rosen.
- Supporting the campaign: Dawn O’Porter, Dr. Mohammed Mustafa, Nathalie Emmanuel, Daniel Ings, Zawe Ashton, Juliet Stevenson, Joely Richardson, Khalid Abdalla, Denise Gough, Indira Varma, and many others from the arts and activism.
A Direct Appeal to Political Leaders
The timing and location of the projection were intended to send a direct message to the leaders of the Labour Party. Moazzam Malik, the CEO of Save the Children UK, issued a statement explaining the organization's goals.
"As the Labour Party gathers for its conference, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper must move beyond statements and take action to finally end the UK government's complicity in the horrors in Gaza," Malik stated.
The statement referenced a UN Commission of Inquiry which, according to Malik, concluded that "a genocide is unfolding in Gaza." He emphasized the gravity of the situation, noting that two years into the conflict, the death toll of children continues to rise.
Specific Demands from the Charities
Save the Children UK and its partners outlined three specific actions they are urging the Labour leadership and the UK government to take:
- Immediately suspend all arms transfers to Israel, including components for F-35 fighter jets.
- Suspend the current UK-Israel trade agreement.
- Take all necessary actions with international partners to bring about a halt to the war.
The Full Text of the Poem
The poem at the heart of the campaign, "Don't Mention the Children" by Michael Rosen, was recited in full by the participating celebrities. Its repetitive and stark phrasing aims to draw attention to the silencing of child victims' identities in conflict.
The poem reads:
Don’t mention the children.
Don’t name the dead children.
The people must not know the names of the dead children.
The names of the children must be hidden.
The children must be nameless.
The children must leave this world having no names.
No one must know the names of the dead children.
No one must say the names of the dead children.
No one must even think that the children have names.
People must understand that it would be dangerous to know the names of the children.
The people must be protected from knowing the names of the children.
The names of the children could spread like wildfire.
The people would not be safe if they knew the names of the children.
Don’t name the dead children.
Don’t remember the dead children.
Don’t think of the dead children.
Don’t say: ‘dead children’.