HOLOCAUST VIDEO CONFERENCE

In observance of the anniversary of the Kristallnacht pogrom, the Holocaust and the United Nations Outreach Programme, in partnership with the House of the Wannsee Conference Memorial and Educational site in Germany, held a video conference with students in seven countries in Africa and Asia on the 15th November 2010 to help promote Holocaust education. The United Nations Information Centre in Accra invited WADREC’s PMCs to represent Ghana. Two schools were chosen; Star Avenue School and Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School, Legon.

Prior to the video conference the PMCs of both schools were given a history on the Holocaust and what took place during that time. They also watched a film to help them better understand the Holocaust. The students came up with questions they would like to ask Mrs. Margot Friedlander, a Holocaust survivor, whom they were to hear the personal testimony of. They came up with various intelligent questions. Some of the questions they came up with were:

·        How has the Holocaust affected your life?

·        You were spared numerous deportations to Auschwitz Death camp; what do you think accounted for this? Do think it was fate or divine intervention?

·        Did most Germans support the Holocaust? Why was this?

·        Why do you think the Jews were mostly targeted?

·        How did you survive? Was there any hope of survival?

·        Do you sometimes wonder why you survived and others didn’t?

The video conference was held at the World Bank office at Ridge from 1:30pm to 3pm. WADREC worked closely with Mr. Nunoo and Mrs. Evelyn Sarpong, both of UNIC. Though several questions were prepared, just about 3 were asked. It was obvious that the other participants from the various countries were impressed with the questions.

The video conference was a rare opportunity which gave the students the chance to learn about the Holocaust, which most had no idea about before. It was also a chance for them to meet students from other countries, some of which they had never heard before.