Emmy Award-winning composer Aaron Zigman’s Émigré 齊格曼《上海!上海!》

2025-06-07T19:02:28+08:00Tags: |

踏入亂世,愛能否跨越界限?
In a world at war, can love transcend borders?

1938年,戰火逼近,一對兄弟逃離納粹迫害,隨近兩萬猶太難民輾轉抵達上海。兩人在陌生的異鄉開展新生活,弟弟卻與上海姑娘萌生一段世俗不容的愛情——一段跨越文化、挑戰命運的愛情故事即將展開!音樂交織歷史,旋律承載情感。《上海!上海!》將打造一場震撼心靈的音樂旅程。

Written by Emmy Award-winning composer Aaron Zigman’s Émigré, this semi-staged production narrates the forbidden love between a Jewish refugee and a Shanghainese girl. Two brothers flee imminent Nazi persecution following Kristallnacht in 1938. They find sanctuary in the distant and unfamiliar city of Shanghai, joining nearly 20,000 other Jewish refugees in rebuilding lives away from their native land. The forbidden love between the younger brother and a Shanghainese girl ends in tragedy.

For everyone who had the opportunity to watch Aaron Zigman’s Émigré with us at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in spring 2025, we hope you enjoyed the experience. Please click here for the HKPhil trailer of the remarkable performance. 

Workshops for Teachers & Educators: Holocaust Education & Collective Memory in the 21st Century

2025-06-07T18:54:19+08:00Tags: |

Local teachers and educators joined us at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and at the University of Macau in the week of 24 February 2025 for a special educators workshop series titled “Foundational Past: Holocaust Education and Collective Memory in the 21st Century,” presented by Professor Marc van Berkel, the only Chair Professor of Holocaust Studies in the Netherlands.

This important workshop series delved into the current status of Holocaust education in the Netherlands, examining the various aspects of historical content and pedagogical approaches. Professor van Berkel also explored how the Holocaust was processed and represented in key institutions, with a particular focus on the National Holocaust Museum in Amsterdam and the Camp Westerbork National Memorial Centre.

It was wonderful to have different teachers who joined us that week, especially those looking to deepen their understanding of Holocaust education and engage with a critical aspect of collective memory, as well as the vital role of education in shaping our understanding of the past.

Honouring Resilience 2025: Dialogues with Holocaust Survivors on HK and Macau’s Campuses

2025-06-07T18:37:33+08:00Tags: |

As HKHTC’s Special Educational Event Series continues to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation and the end of World War II, Holocaust survivor Mark Spigelman joined Simon K. Li, HKHTC Executive Director and Senior Fellow at the University of Southern California’s Shoah Foundation, for a series of dialogue events across various schools and college campuses in both Hong Kong and Macau. These sessions engaged primary and secondary school students, as well as university students, in meaningful discussions.

In addition, Rachel Spigelman, the child of Holocaust survivors and accomplished author of Blue Eyes Wide Open, spent time with schoolchildren for a reading and discussion centered on her father’s wartime stories.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the students from our partner schools and colleges for their enthusiastic engagement. Their thoughtful and insightful questions made this month truly memorable as they learned about Professor Spigelman’s story of resilience and survival during wartime.

Yom HaShoah Commemoration 2025/5785: 80 Years Since Liberation

2025-06-07T17:22:49+08:00Tags: |

 

A Night of Remembrance: 80 Years Since Liberation

This week, we came together in our annual Yom HaShoah commemoration to remember the six million souls lost during the Holocaust

Through impactful narratives and archival footage from the liberation of Bergen-Belsen 80 years ago, along with moments of solemn reflection, we stood in solidarity.

The Hong Kong Holocaust & Tolerance Centre remains committed to promoting tolerance education and preserving the vital lessons of history, ensuring that future generations will never forget.

HKHTC-ASHK WWII Memorial Dinner Featuring Prof. Rana Mitter & Holocaust Survivor Mark Spigelman

2025-06-07T17:34:52+08:00Tags: |

Memorial Reception and Dinner Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the End of World War II 

In partnership with Asia Society Hong Kong Center (ASHK), the Hong Kong Holocaust and Tolerance Centre (HKHTC) proudly hosted a memorial reception and dinner commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. 

We were honoured to hear from Harvard University’s Professor Rana Mitter, who shared insights on China’s role in WWII, and Holocaust survivor Professor Mark Spigelman (along with Mrs Rachel Spigelman), whose powerful story of resilience serves as a reminder of the importance of remembering our history to prevent future atrocities.

As part of this event, we showcased innovative stations that offered educators and students a glimpse into the transformative use of AI and VR in Holocaust and tolerance education. Attendees experienced the groundbreaking Dimensions in Testimony project (featuring former comfort woman survivor Grandma Peng as well as Nanjing Massacre survivor Madame Xia) and the immersive VR experience, The Last Goodbye, featuring the testimony of Holocaust survivor Pinchas Gutter. 

This pilot project, which is in partnership with the USC Shoah Foundation and includes the testimony of a comfort woman for the first time ever in an AI format, allows audiences to engage in real-time conversations with these remarkable individuals, ensuring their stories are heard and remembered. For more details, please check out this recent SCMP feature.

We invite you to watch the two-part memorial event video here: Part One, and Part Two

Together, we honour the past and strive to ensure that these stories continue to inspire future generations. 

 

Auschwitz 80th Anniversary: UN Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration 2025

2025-01-22T22:45:04+08:00Tags: |

A Night of Remembrance and Resilience
The Hong Kong Holocaust and Tolerance Centre had the profound honour of hosting the annual United Nations Holocaust Memorial Day (UNHMD) commemoration on January 20, 2025, at the Jewish Community Centre.
This year, we marked the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, a pivotal moment in history. The evening included the poignant lighting of six candles, each representing the six million Jews who perished during the Holocaust.
Our keynote speaker, Holocaust survivor Professor Mark Spigelman, shared his harrowing yet inspiring journey of survival during World War II. His story is a testament to the incredible resilience of those who endured unimaginable hardships. Mark’s experiences remind us of the vital importance of remembering our history to prevent such atrocities from happening again.
Born in November 1940 in Poland, Mark’s remarkable journey began with his mother’s brave decision to disguise him as a girl to evade Nazi capture—a daring act that saved his life. Together, his family faced unimaginable challenges, hiding in ghettos, bunkers, and even rubbish tips.
A fascinating connection—Mark is also a cousin of Art Spiegelman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Maus: A Survivor’s Tale. This graphic novel powerfully illustrates the complexities of survival and the enduring impact of trauma from the Holocaust, with Mark’s own experiences woven into its narrative.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Benjamin Fok Chun-yue for his generous support of this year’s UN Holocaust Memorial Day educational programmes, and to Cathay Pacific, our official Travel Sponsor.

Let us continue to honour the past and ensure that the lessons learned guide us toward a more compassionate future.

Remembering Kristallnacht in Hong Kong

2024-11-10T23:32:43+08:00Tags: |

This weekend (November 9 and 10) marks the 86th anniversary of Kristallnacht (the Night of Broken Glass), a pivotal moment in the Nazi persecution of Jews. What began as nonviolent discrimination escalated dramatically during those two days in 1938, when Gestapo-led mobs violently destroyed Jewish businesses and homes, resulting in 91 deaths and the arrest of 30,000 Jewish men. Over 200 synagogues were set ablaze, while firefighters were ordered to let them burn.

In remembrance of this tragic event, HKHTC’s Executive Director and USC Shoah Foundation’s Senior Fellow, Simon K. Li, delivered a lecture titled “Remembering Kristallnacht” to the local Chinese community. The audience engaged deeply, raising important questions about Kristallnacht, the Holocaust, and the rising tide of antisemitism globally.

Join us in reflecting on this dark chapter of history and its relevance today.

HKHTC Public Education Event Series: Online Tour of the VR-Secret Annex in the Anne Frank House

2024-10-24T16:11:58+08:00Tags: |

ONLINE TOUR OF THE VR-SECRET ANNEX IN THE ANNE FRANK HOUSE
HKHTC Public Education Events Series

14 October 2024, 6:00 PM HKT

All are welcome. Please join us via:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82298504333?pwd=ZsBFISA8ljZ1KeMEOEUb3F2xjz5uty.1

Meeting ID: 822 9850 4333
Passcode: AnneFrank

This special online event is free and open to all. No advance registration is required; the event can accommodate up to 100 attendees, and participants will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. If it reaches capacity, we will attempt to make a recording available after the event. 

Anne Frank’s life and words continue to have powerful meaning for young people around the world. This interactive presentation offers an online tour of the VR-Secret Annex in the Anne Frank House as an example of an online resource that can be used to prepare students to read and comprehend The Diary of a Young Girl within the larger historical framework of the Holocaust. Led by a senior educator from the Anne Frank House, this interactive presentation will leave time for Q&A. Prior to the virtual tour, please view the powerful documentary “The Short Life of Anne Frank” to prepare for the programme.

Let’s explore this historic location in 360 degrees and engage in discussions about Anne Frank’s diary and the people involved in her story.

Presenter:
Aaron Peterer
has been working for the Anne Frank House since 2002. Being Austrian he had the opportunity to do his civil service in the form of a memorial service for 14 months at the Anne Frank House. After completion of his service he continued working in the International Department of the Anne Frank House. Today he is a Project Manager in the Educational Projects Department. He has worked in Western, as well as in non-Western educational and cultural settings. He co-conceptualized the Free2choose-Create and Memory Walk film workshops, where students create debate films on memorialization. These educational projects are implemented all across the globe in cooperation with partner organizations. He also works as a freelance film maker mainly producing educational documentaries. Aaron holds a degree in Comparative Arts and Media Studies from the Free University of Amsterdam.

We look forward to your attendence at this special online event hosted by the Hong Kong Holocaust and Tolerance Centre (HKHTC).

Supported by: Anne Frank House

HKHTC-HKU Public Lecture: The Holocaust and Its Legacies in Contemporary Germany

2024-10-24T15:59:32+08:00Tags: |

We were excited to co-organise a public lecture titled “The Holocaust and Its Legacies in Contemporary Germany,” featuring HKHTC Chairman, Dr Roland Vogt on 7 October 2024. This lecture explored the ongoing impact of the Holocaust on German society and its evolving significance in a diverse Europe. 

Please see the above poster for details. 

‘Escape and Survival Through Art’ Webinar | Genocide Awareness Month Series

2024-10-01T08:15:27+08:00Tags: |

ESCAPE AND SURVIVAL THROUGH ART
HKHTC Webinar – Genocide Awareness Month Series

10 April 2024, 8:00 PM HKT/SGT and 10:00 PM AEDT

All are welcome. Please join us via:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88179169011

Spanning three continents, Eva de Jong Duldig’s improbable story of survival and ultimate settlement in Australia via Singapore illustrates the destructive influence of ethnoreligious intolerance and the capacity to rebuild after unforeseen trauma.

The Duldig family thrived in Vienna prior to World War II. Eva’s mother, Slawa, invented the modern foldable umbrella and her father, Karl, was a sportsman and artist whose work can be seen in museums across the world.

After the Anschluss of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938, the Duldigs fled Europe. A story that has been turned into an award winning memoir and musical, Eva will share her family’s experience during the Holocaust, their time in Singapore and a wartime internment camp in Tatura, Australia, as well as her journey to becoming an elite tennis player, participating in Wimbledon and the Australian Open.


We look forward to your attendence at this special webinar event hosted by the Hong Kong Holocaust and Tolerance Centre (HKHTC). 

Supported by: The Fritz Ascher Society for Persecuted, Ostracized and Banned Art (FAS)

Go to Top