Blackburn was "united in grief and compassion" on Saturday, 4 October, to take part in the nationwide Know Their Names memorial, a powerful act of remembrance for the children killed in Gaza.
From dawn until nightfall, people of all backgrounds gathered in Cathedral Square to read aloud the names of Palestinian children who have lost their lives amid Israel’s ongoing attacks.
The event, organised by Friends of Al-Aqsa (FOA), saw 27 towns and cities across the UK take part in a unified moment of mourning and solidarity.
In Blackburn, the day began at 5.30am with setup and continued until 10pm. The public readings started at 8am and lasted for 13 hours.
By 9pm, 8,976 names had been read, less than half of the 17,921 children’s names on the list.
Since the onset of the Israeli attacks, over 19,000 children have been killed in Gaza, with thousands more wounded, orphaned, or displaced. Behind every number lies a name, a family, and a stolen future.
Yasin, one of the organisers, reflected on the scale and emotion of the day.
“We stood together as a community for 13 hours in Cathedral Square, Blackburn, reading name after name after name,” he said.
“Over 8,000 names of Palestinian children were spoken aloud. And still, we only made it less than halfway through the list.
“Each name belonged to a child. A life. A family. Each one taken far too soon
“It was one of the most emotional and powerful days of my life. To stand in silence, in tears, and in solidarity, with a community united in remembrance and love.
“Thank you to everyone who came, read, supported, or simply stood with us. You made sure they were not forgotten. We will continue to read. We will continue to remember. We will continue to know their names.”
Neelam, who also took part, described how the vigil transcended faith and background.
“The vigil brought together people from across the community, Muslims, Christians, and people of all backgrounds, united in grief and compassion,” she said.
“Together, we read aloud the names of children whose lives have been lost, to ensure that they are not reduced to numbers. Each name spoken represented a life, a story, and a family torn apart.
“This act of remembrance was both a moment of mourning and a call for conscience. As long as children continue to be killed, we believe it is our moral duty to speak their names, to raise awareness, and to call for an end to the violence and suffering.”
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