The Mayor of Hertsmere, Councillor Richard Butler, attended as 12 trees were planted at Arsenal’s Sobha Realty Training Centre to commemorate 80 years since the end of World War II.
The trees mark the Holocaust and Nazi persecution, as well as genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur, and signify an aim for peace in the future. The initiative has been led by the Arsenal Steering Group.
Every year, a large number of trees are planted at the training centre, with Arsenal committed to increasing biodiversity at the site.
Cllr Butler gave a speech at the event which, among others, was attended by pupils and staff from Hertsmere-based schools Dame Alice Owen’s, Hertswood Academy, Clore Shalom and Queens’.
Cllr Butler said: “These trees, and the area in which they’re planted, will be hugely important for our communities to remember – for many years to come - the millions of people that have tragically died as a result of discrimination and hate.
“We thank Arsenal Football Club and the Arsenal Steering Group for their help and support in enabling this initiative to become a reality.
“What the trees represent is obviously deeply moving and it’s vital that we remember but also look towards a better future.”
