Remembrance Day: Never Again – Honouring Sacrifice and Renewing Our Commitment
Every year, on Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day, we pause as a community to honour the brave men and women who sacrificed everything in service to our nation. As Mayor of Solihull, it is always a privilege to stand alongside veterans, families, and residents, paying tribute to those whose courage and determination shaped the world we live in today.
Yet, as I bow my head in silence, I am struck by a pressing question: how can we ensure that their sacrifices were not in vain? This day, these moments, are not just about remembering the past. They serve as a stark reminder of the fragility of peace and the high cost of freedom.
In our comfortable lives, it’s easy to feel detached from the realities of war — to think that it belongs to distant memories or far-off lands. But the scars of past conflicts are everywhere: not just in monuments and memorials, but in the lives of veterans who walk among us, and in the families who still carry the grief of loved ones lost.
We, in Solihull, live in peace today because of their sacrifices, but peace is fragile. It requires more than just the absence of war; it requires active effort, understanding, and vigilance. Too often, in the rush of modern life, we forget this fundamental truth.
"Never again" must be more than just words; it must be a deep and unwavering commitment, one that we uphold through our actions, words, and values. This commitment requires us to acknowledge the ongoing wars that continue to scar the lives of soldiers. The wounds they carry are not always visible, yet the psychological toll of war is profound.
Veterans often fight silent battles in their minds long after the physical combat has ended.
These invisible scars are just as real as the visible ones, and they extend beyond the veterans themselves to their families and communities. Their silent struggles are our collective responsibility. Our pledge of "Never again" must extend to those who carry the weight of war’s aftermath, offering them the support and understanding they so richly deserve.
In Solihull, "Never again" means more than merely reflecting on history; it is a powerful call to reject hatred and division in all its forms. It urges us to stand firm against those who seek to tear us apart, to build walls between us, and to stoke fear of those who are different. The men and women we honour today did not fight alone. They stood side by side with people from all walks of life — from different backgrounds, cultures, and faiths — united in the shared cause of freedom. Our strength in Solihull lies in this diversity, and it is our duty to ensure that every person, regardless of race, religion, or origin, is welcomed into the promise of peace and unity.
We must never forget the men and women who gave everything — their youth, their dreams, their very lives — for our freedom. But above all, here in Solihull, we must never forget that it is our responsibility to ensure their sacrifices are not in vain. Their bravery, their loss, their enduring legacy calls us to action. We owe them more than just remembrance; we owe them a world where their struggles have lasting meaning, where their courage lives on in the choices we make, and in the way we treat one another. We owe them nothing less.
Lest we forget, in Solihull and beyond, the lives that were sacrificed so we could live in peace. Never again — for the brave souls who gave everything, and for the future we must build in their honour.
Shahin Ashraf, MBE
Mayor of Solihull