Remembering Partition: At the London Festival of Architecture
By Samra Abbas
On Friday, 27th June 2025, members of the public gathered at The London Centre for the Remembering Partition: Legacy of 1947 and beyond event.
The event was held as part of the London Festival of Architecture (LFA), supported by Partition Memorial Advisory Board member, Chetna Kapacee as part of her lead curatorial pick for LFA 2025.
The event contributed to our long-term ambition of creating a memorial space that demonstrates a connection to communities in London, within the public realm. Attendees gained an understanding of the historical context of colonisation, the independence movement and the Legacy of Partition.
August 2027 will mark 80 years since the Partition of India and the creation of Pakistan and subsequently Bangladesh. Several decisions leading up to Partition were made in locations across London.
The event started at 2:00 pm with a welcome to The London Centre & The London Model by Eliza Grosvenor - Head of Programme, London Festival of Architecture and Chetna Kapacee.
This was then followed by an introduction to The Pothohar Association UK by Bhupinder Singh Bhasin, president of the organisation and Partition Memorial Advisory Board member. Refreshments for the event were kindly sponsored by the association.
Rav Singh, Founder of A Little History of the Sikhs and Partition Memorial Advisory Board member, talked the audience through the Empire and Partition Heritage Walking and Digital Trail. Attendees were able to visualise the trail using The London Centre's iconic model to pinpoint the very locations where decisions were made that shaped the lines of division.
Attendees were also able to take away some beautifully designed, limited edition printed versions of the Empire and Partition Heritage Trail – Westminster Edition.
Dr Aditi Kumar, Partition Memorial Advisory Board member, shared her lived experience of the partition, discussing the ongoing trauma and effects of Partition that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are experiencing.
After the guest speakers, the audience was invited to participate in a Question and Answer session led by Partition Memorial Advisory Board members Chetna Kapacee, Manasi Pophale and Rav Singh. This led to many interesting conversations, such as ways to integrate Partition into the national curriculum and increase public knowledge of the impact of mass migration within the region.
The audience consisted of members of The Partition Memorial Advisory Board, historians, teachers, artists, students, and also included two Partition survivors who generously shared their experiences of making the migration across the newly formed borders in ‘47.
Manasi Pophale, Founder of History Speak, then hosted a drop-in ‘model making’ session, which created an opportunity for attendees to present their ideas and influence the form and urban context of the project.
Overall, the event was a huge success and a step towards inviting the public to connect and discover voices from the past that echo through our present, as we strive to honour them in the future.
