Eddie Izzard, Naomie Harris, and David Miliband, are among the celebrities and public figures who will take part in a remembrance ceremony to mark the 70th anniversary of Anne Frank’s death next week.
The Anne Frank Trust UK and Penguin Random House, the UK publishers of Anne Frank’s Diary, are launching a social media campaign called #notsilent which will take place on 14 April at the British Library in London.
Instead of the usual one-minute commemorative silence to mark the end of Anne’s short life, #notsilent is inviting people to record a video of themselves reading a one-minute passage from her Diary.
Eddie Izzard, Naomie Harris, David Miliband, Jacqueline Wilson, and children’s laureate Malorie Blackman, have all recorded their own readings to be shared on social media.
Other contributions come from Michael Buerk, Arlene Phillips, Ray Quinn and actors Russell Tovey, Ceallach Spellman and Jing Lusi.
Gillian Walnes, co-founder and vice president of the Anne Frank Trust UK said: “Poignantly we will never know the exact date Anne died, but we have carefully chosen the date of April 14 as schools will be in session and it’s one day before the anniversary of the liberation of Bergen-Belsen where Anne died at the age 15 of hunger and disease.
“We have a selection of passages suitable for a one-minute reading on our website or readers can choose one themselves, or even read something they have written about their own life and hopes.
Through the #notsilent campaign Anne’s voice will resonate loudly around the country and we will stand together against the challenges of prejudice, discrimination and injustices that are still experienced today."
The #notsilent launch event will take place at the British Library.
