HKHTC Board Members represented us at this wonderful occasion, attended by UNESCO and Government officials, representatives from Religious and Communal organisations, Consulates and other relevant bodies.
It was followed by a panel discussion – In what ways can media help shape peace in the world.
On 31st August we were delighted to welcome Dan Michman from Yad Vashem. Professor Michman is Head of the International Institute for Holocaust Research and Incumbent of the John Najmann Chair of Holocaust Studies.
Professor Michman has been involved with Yad Vashem’s scholarly and educational activities since the early 1980s, is on the editorial board of Yad Vashem Studies since the mid1990s, and served as Chief Historian from 2000 till 2011.
Proessor Michman spoke in the afternoon about ‘Jewish Councils in the Ghettoes’ and in the evening addressed the fascinating concept of ‘Righteous Gentiles- the emergence of a unique commemorative concept’.
Both talks gave original and unusual insights into thier topics and stimulated a high level of discussion and conversation after the meetings.
Dr Alan Rosen earned his PhD in literature and religion at Boston University where he studied under the supervision of renowned Holocaust survivor, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and Founding Chairman of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, Elie Wiesel.
Dr Rosen gave a captivating seminar using three texts written during the Holocaust, to discuss literature and the terrible events occurring during this period.
Click here for a Jewish Times Asia article about the event
The theme of this years Yom HaShoah ceremony was ‘Maintaining Humanity’ In collaboration with the Tsofim of Hong Kong, we held our annual ceremony at the Jewish Community Centre, using music, poetry and readings to commemorate special people who are remembered for their acts of bravery, humanity and courage during the Holocaust.
We also welcomed Joanna Millan, child Holocaust survivor who spoke about her experiences as a child survivor of Theresienstadt and about her journey of discovering her roots and family history.
In April we were delighted to host Joanna Millan from London, on a speaking tour of Hong Kong schools. Joanna talked to over 1800 pupils at 13 different schools about her experiences as a child survivor from Theresienstadt concentration camp.
The pupils and teachers were captivated by her primary source material and for many it was their first introduction to the Holocaust.
Joanna also spoke at the jewish Communities Yom HaShoah event as well as to a Church based group.
The Hong Kong Holocaust and Tolerance Centre collaborated on two public screenings of Claude Lanzmann’s monumental testament to The Holocaust, the film Shoah, as part of the Hong Kong International Film Festival. The screenings were introduced by HKHTC’s Chair, Jeremy Amias, and followed by a discussion with professor Glenn Timmermans of Macau University.
HKHTC Board member, Silvain Gilbert, has been active all year going to schools in Hong Kong to tell pupils about his experiences as a hidden child, during the Holocaust. Children have been captivated by his story and primary source information about the Holocaust and for many it stimulated further enquiries and study.
To commemorate the United Nations Holocaust Memorial Day the HKHTC held a memorial concert titled “Music from the Ashes” at the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts. The concert featured musicians from Hong Kong, the United States and Israel who played music composed by eminent Jewish composers who perished in Nazi concentration and death camps. The leading musician was by the Professor Allan Sternfield of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. Over 400 people attended the concert, including Consul Generals, local dignitaries as well as a diverse cross selection of the Hong Kong public.
As part of the Hong Kong Jewish film festival, we screened two films, the “Heart Of Auschwitz” and “The Last flight of Petr Ginz,” to more than 700 local school children at more than 11 different schools. These events enabled students to learn about aspects of the Holocaust in a unique and engaging manner. We supplied speakers to introduce the films and run question and answer sessions afterwards.
Guest speaker and Head of Education at Yad Vashem – Ephraim Kaye, addressed students and academics at Hong Kong University in a joint lecture organised by the HKHTC and the University’s Modern Languages department.
