National Covid Memorial Wall facts for kids
The National Covid Memorial Wall is a special mural in London. It was painted by volunteers to remember the many people who died during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. This long wall stretches for more than half a kilometer along the River Thames. It is right across from the Palace of Westminster and near St Thomas' Hospital.
The mural is made up of thousands of red and pink hearts. Each heart is meant to represent one person who died from COVID-19 in the United Kingdom. When the painting started, there were about 150,000 hearts planned. The idea was for each heart to be "individually hand-painted." This makes each heart unique, just like the people who were lost. A group called COVID-19 Bereaved Families for Justice organized the mural. Volunteers started painting the wall in late March 2021.
The Wall's Future
The National Covid Memorial Wall is not yet finished. Volunteers plan to keep adding hearts as the number of lives lost to COVID-19 in the UK grows. There are talks about using special digital tools. These tools could help count how many hearts are already on the wall.
When the mural was first planned, it was meant to be temporary. The idea was to clean the area after some time. However, many people now believe the mural should stay forever. They want it to be a permanent memorial. The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, had promised a "fitting and permanent" memorial. He said this would happen after the pandemic ended.
Public Reactions
On March 29, 2021, Labour Party leader Keir Starmer visited the mural. He called it a "remarkable memorial." He also asked Prime Minister Boris Johnson to visit the wall himself. Starmer wanted Johnson to talk with the families who had lost loved ones.
Images for kids
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Section of the National Covid Memorial Wall, April 2021
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A section of the National Covid Memorial Wall in London
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One of the plaques identifying the National Covid Memorial Wall
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Red rose stuck to the wall with its stem within a small bag filled with water
See also
In Spanish: Muro Nacional Conmemorativo del Covid para niños
