Marcus Ferrar at Westminster Abbey May 27th, 2025

Reflect on the impact that war has had on places of worship in this special event, held in collaboration with the V&A’s Culture in Crisis programme.

Amidst the turmoil of the Second World War, cultural sites across the World were damaged or destroyed by bombing and artillery. Religious sites sustained considerable damage. Both Westminster Abbey and St Margaret’s Church suffered significant damage from incendiary bombs dropped during German Air Raids.  

This special conversation, held in collaboration with the V&A’s Culture in Crisis programme, will discuss the way that religious sites have recovered and rebuilt in the wake of conflict. Drawing on examples from both the Second World War and the modern day, a panel of experts will explore how the memory of wartime damage has been commemorated within religious spaces and reflect on the symbolic role that they hold within their communities.  

The panel will consist of: 

  • James Bridge, Chief Executive and Secretary-General of UNESCO UK  

  • Peter Daniel, Education and Interpretation Officer at Westminster Archives 

  • Marcus Ferrar, Chairman of the Dresden Trust 

This event will be chaired by Laura Searson, Cultural Heritage Preservation Lead at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Tickets:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/beyond-victory-panel-destruction-restoration-and-commemoration-tickets-1296760167569

Link:

https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-events/lectures-and-talks/2025/may/beyond-victory-panel-destruction-restoration-and-commemoration

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