International Brigade Memorial Trust
On 5 October 1985 the former Labour leader, Michael Foot, unveiled a new memorial in Jubilee Gardens, on London's South Bank. Sculpted by Ian Walters, the four and a half metre memorial evokes both defiance and protectiveness, a homage to both the Spanish Republic of 1931-1939 and the thousands of men and women from around the world who flocked to its defence during the Spanish Civil War.
The memorial became the focus for an annual commemoration by members of the International Brigade Association, which had been set up in 1939 by former members of the International Brigades and their supporters. When the International Brigade Memorial Trust was formed in 2001, incorporating the IBA and the Friends of the International Brigades, the tradition of an annual July commemoration continued. Increasisngly popular, the event, held on the first Saturday of July at 1pm, has always attracted high profile speakers from across the British Isles and beyond:
Jubilee Gardens commemoration: key speakers and performers
2002: Ken Livingstone
2003: Chris Smith MP
2004: Moe Fishman
2005: John Pilger
2006: Rodney Bickerstaffe
2007: Billy Bragg
2008: Tony Lloyd MP
2009: Robert Elms
2010: Miquel Caminal
2011: Paul Preston
2012: Ewan McLennan, Francesca Beard, Na-Mara, Paco Marín
2013: Grace Petrie, Mick Whelan, Jordi Palou-Loverdos
2014: Emilio Silva, Helen Graham, Maddy Carty, Na-Mara
2015: Owen Jones, Francesca Beard, Carmen Negrín, Karl Lewkowicz, Na-Mara
2016: Maxine Peake, Perro Lobo (David Merino), Rodney Bickerstaffe, Paul Preston, Na-Mara
2017: Tosh Macdonald, Len McCluskey, Herminio Martínez, Na-Mara, Maddy Carty
2018: Jon Trickett MP, Yolanda Vázquez, Na-Mara
2019: Mick Cash, Na-Mara
2020: Jeremy Corbyn MP
2021: Ronan Burtenshaw, Thelma Ruby (Frye)
2022: Elizabeth Estensen, Carmen Kilner, Alex Gordon, Na-Mara
2023: Nancy Wallach, Claude Desmazure, Peter Crome, Na-Mara
