Queen Camilla writes of importance of antisemitism education
Anne Frank Trust partners with My Voice project to amplify Shoah survivor stories
The Anne Frank Trust UK partnered with The Fed’s My Voice Project for a showcase event in Manchester’s Heathlands Village last week.
Designed to highlight the experiences of the young people that the Trust works with, empowering them to challenge antisemitism and all forms of prejudice and build bridges between communities, it also marked the launch of a new collaboration between the Trust and My Voice, established in 2016 to publish life stories of Holocaust survivors.
The partnership will enable Anne Frank Trust Ambassador alumni to apply to become My Voice Guardians, continuing their learning by safeguarding and sharing precious survivor testimonies.
Each book tells the survivor’s story in their own words, compiled through hours of in-depth interviews supported by family photos, documents and contributions from My Voice’s dedicated team of volunteers. Since its creation, the project has published 48 life stories, with a further 12 in production.
Amongst the thirty guests were representatives of the Jewish community, members of local government and interfaith leaders.
Distinguished speakers included the Bishop of Manchester, the Rt Revd Dr David Walker; the Mayor of Salford, Councillor Heather Fletcher; and Marc Levy, Chief Executive of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester, who spoke movingly about the horrific terrorist attack on Yom Kippur at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation and the profound impact it has had on the community.
The evening was presented by young Anne Frank Trust Ambassadors Millie and Abdoulie, who spoke about how learning Anne Frank’s story has inspired them to speak out against all forms of discrimination.
Dan Green, newly appointed chief executive of the Anne Frank Trust, read out a personal message from Her Majesty The Queen Camilla, Royal Patron of the Trust, in which The Queen expressed her “deep shock and sadness” at the Yom Kippur attack and reaffirmed her pride in the Trust’s vital work “educating young people about antisemitism and all forms of prejudice.”
Green added: “Her Majesty The Queen’s message was a powerful reminder of why our work matters so deeply, especially at such a painful time for the Jewish community in Manchester.
“We are honoured by her support and by her belief in the importance of educating young people about antisemitism and all forms of prejudice. It was incredibly moving to share this evening with our Ambassadors, their families, and our partners at The Fed. Their passion and courage give real hope for the future – they are the next generation of leaders speaking out for tolerance and understanding.”
Three new My Voice titles, ‘Hidden Pieces’ by Jacques Weisser, ‘I Still Dream in Yiddish’ by Rachel Levy, and ‘The Boy from Cologne’ by Kurt Marx, were unveiled at an emotional ceremony hosted by The Fed at the Pears Communal Hall in Hampstead in July.
The Anne Frank Trust UK is an education charity that empowers young people aged 9–15 to challenge all forms of prejudice, drawing inspiration from the life and diary of Anne Frank to build a society safe from hatred and discrimination.
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