Latest News
UK Holocaust Centre saddened by attack on USHMM
June 12th, 2009
Following the attack by a gunman at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, Dr James Smith, founder of the UK Holocaust Centre and Chief Executive of the Aegis Trust for genocide prevention, commented: “The whole team at The Holocaust Centre and the Aegis Trust is shocked and deeply saddened by this shooting. Our thoughts are with the family of the murdered security guard, and with all staff at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.”
The Aegis Trust is based at The Holocaust Centre near Newark in the East Midlands. It is also responsible for establishing and running the Genocide Memorial Centre in Kigali for the Rwandan authorities. It is a site where over 250,000 victims of the 1994 genocide are buried. Following a fatal wounding at the Genocide Memorial Centre in Rwanda the Aegis Trust is conscious of the security threat at permanent memorials. In a series of attacks, a grenade was thrown into the Genocide Memorial Centre in April 2008, killing one of the policemen on guard. “This must not deter us from commemoration and education,” said Dr Smith. “ In a world plagued by genocide, only by asserting the truth and applying lessons of history can we hope to make ‘never again’ mean something.”
Freddy Umutanguha, Manager of the Kigali Memorial Centre, himself a survivor of the 1994 genocide stated, “We know what it means to lose a colleague to the violence of those who would like to silence the voice of memory. Our hearts are with our brothers and sisters at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum today.”
“The Nazis were shooting at us sixty years ago and extremists still want to silence us today,” says Auschwitz survivor Arek Hersh, who shares his story with schoolchildren at The Holocaust Centre on a regular basis. “However, we urge the American public, don’t let this incident make you afraid. Show your resistance to those who preach racism and exclusion by visiting the USHMM in even greater numbers.”
Welcome to The Holocaust Centre
Thinking of booking a school visit to The Journey next year? Come along to our FREE Teacher Preview Day for primary teachers on Saturday 25th July. Guided tours of The Journey at 11.:30, 12:30 and 13:30.
In Our Hands; Extremism, Diversity& Equality in today’s Britain Residential Course: Monday 20 - Thursday 23 July 2009 This dynamic, relevant and intimate residential course will examine many aspects of discrimination, hate crimes and violent extremism that threaten Britain’s communities (NEW PUBLICATION, 6th May 2009) No Going Back: Letters to Pope Benedict XVI on the Holocaust, Jewish-Christian Relations & Israel
To order: Follow this link
2nd June, 2009 History Speaks receives top marks from Berrien RESA Teacher’s Choice Awards for the 2008-2009 school year for best distance learning content in Great Britain. In picture above, Bob Norton, a Holocaust Survivor spoke to 180 students in the Mountbatten School, Hampshire on 29th January. Students accessed History Speaks as follow up lesson. In the last month the Holocaust Centre reached 350 students via video conferencing. A school in South Dakota, US, also had the unique opportunity to speak to Lisa Vincent, a kindertransportee, live from the Holocaust Centre. |
About the Holocaust Centre
The Holocaust Centre provides a range of facilities for people of all backgrounds to explore the history and implications of the Holocaust. These include the Memorial Museum, The Journey, Memorial Gardens, Bookshop and Coffeeshop. There are also seminar and research facilities for students, teachers, scholars, professionals and many others.
Museum Hours
The Centre is open to the public from Monday to Friday, 10.00am – 5.00pm each week. Last entry: 3:30 pm
**Summer Opening begins 2nd May -30th August. During this time the Centre is open 7 days a week. There will be survivors speaking every Sunday in July and August.
Entry prices
£7.50 adults, £5.50 concessions, £20 families (max. 2 adults, 3 children)
RSS Feed