Bianchi: “Memory is not a demonstrative act. It is an element of construction of freedom, which is based on the principle of equality "
A digital exhibition to strengthen the civil conscience of the new generations through an in-depth study of the events and issues related to the twentieth century and, specifically, to the Holocaust. Presenting it, this morning in video connection with some schools, was the Minister of Education Patrizio Bianchi and the President of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities (UCEI) Noemi Di Segni.
“This is an extraordinary project, which focuses on young people, their leadership, their ability to influence society through knowledge. In recent years, students and students have been confronted with survivors, relatives of the victims, experts, deepening tragic pages of our history. They went to the depths to ensure that the memory of those terrible events served as an antidote to violence and discrimination even today, in our present. We must never stop remembering and promoting opportunities for awareness: this exhibition tells the path made in all these years by our schools, in collaboration with the UCEI, to contribute to the full development of every child and young person to build more inclusive and just communities. . Memory is not a piece of paper or a demonstration act. It is an element of the construction of freedom, which is based on the principle of equality ”, declared Minister Bianchi.
The exhibition "Young people remember the Shoah" collects online - at the site https://www.scuolaememoria.it/site/it/home-page/ - some of the works developed by the students who, from 2002 to today, have participated in the annual competition launched by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the UCEI, to convey awareness of the tragic events of the last century and educate to respect for differences against all forms of violence and discrimination.
“Today the challenge of memory and knowledge of the Shoah - in all its dimensions and interdisciplinarity - is to connect past and present. Not as a generic moral warning but as a daily experience in which we are immersed. And it takes courage to give the right name and identification to the phenomena we are experiencing: racial hatred, anti-Semitism, fascism and neo-fascism. Yesterday the European Commission published a strategy paper to counter anti-Semitism. The fight against the phenomena of anti-Semitic hatred in various expressions, including modern and twisted ones, such as hatred for the State of Israel, support for Jewish life and freedom of worship, the study and knowledge of the Shoah: these are the three pillars of strategy for the next ten years ”, declared President Di Segni.
Over the years, a selection of works by children and young people has crossed the national territory, to give citizens the opportunity to enjoy the work of students and, through these, training and knowledge opportunities. The inauguration of the portal now expands these possibilities: by connecting to the site, visitors will be able to deepen the theme of racial laws, their impact on the school, understand how the concentration camp universe was articulated.
The exhibition was created within the framework of the Convention between the Ministry of Education and the Union of Italian Jewish Communities. There are three activities and opportunities for study and historical research for students and teachers, which also include the "School and Memory" portal, a platform for the exchange of good practices on the subject of the Shoah, which provides approaches, guidelines and teaching materials for young people and teachers of all levels.