Holocaust Memorial Conference

The University of Exeter’s Holocaust Memorial Conference 2019 brought together 200 students from schools and sixth forms from across the South West alongside over 100 University students and alumni to learn about the Holocaust, its surrounding issues and contemporary relevance.

At the Conference, students heard from Mala Tribich MBE, a survivor of the Holocaust with a deeply moving and powerful testimony. After listening to her testimony they took part in seminar discussions led by academics from the University and external expert guest speakers from across the country. At the end, many wrote pledges of how they would share what they learned with others and work in their communities to mark Holocaust Memorial Day and challenge antisemitism and hatred in the world today. Together with Mala’s testimony, the conference gave students a deeper and more personal understanding of the Holocaust. As one attendee wrote in their reflections:

 “I found the experience so powerful and moving: there is only so much at school in class you can learn and begin to understand but hearing even the part of Mala’s story that we could really showed the harsh reality of the Holocaust and how it affected so many people’.

The conference could not have gone ahead without support from the Alumni Annual Fund. Donations were used to produce conference materials, including a banner and programmes for each student and to fund travel and accommodation for conference speakers. Barnabas Balint, one of the conference organisers, described the importance of such an event:

“This conference brought together academics, researchers, and students from across disciplines and backgrounds for a common cause: to learn from genocide, for a better future.”

To watch a video about the conference, please click here.