Entitled 'Destruction, Restoration and Commemoration' this special panel conversation - held in collaboration with the V&A’s Culture in Crisis programme - discussed 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, the panel explored how the memory of wartime damage has been commemorated within religious spaces and reflect on the symbolic role that they hold within their communities.
James was joined on the panel by Peter Daniel, Education and Interpretation Officer at Westminster Archives, and Marcus Ferrar, Chairman of the Dresden Trust. The panel was chaired by Laura Searson, Cultural Heritage Preservation Lead at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
The panel discussion formed part of Westminster Abbey's 'Beyond Victory' season of events about rebuilding society and the legacy of conflict, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
More information on the Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey UNESCO World Heritage Site
