Dear Colin,
The Holocaust Centre, in north Nottinghamshire, is located in an area of
severe deprivation amongst ex-mining villages. The BNP has a strong hold
in the area and we regularly get local secondary school students who, when
meeting a survivor, voice anti-Semitic and other racist/prejudice views.
We are currently working on long term plans to ensure that disabled
people's experiences during the Holocaust are represented at the Centre
within our memorial garden, exhibitions and education programmes. I think
it is really important that young people are challenged to think about
this warning from history and also explore issues of prejudice,
stereotyping and intolerance within our contemporary society.
I know it may sound clichéd but young people are our future, and
opportunities should exist which directly challenge them to think about
their identities, their place within their communities/peer groups and how
they might choose to act when confronted by racism/prejudice. If not,
there may not necessarily be a counter viewpoint to the
ideologies/negative stereotyping that are propagated by groups like the
BNP, people within their communities and the media.
Heather Hollins,
Access Officer, The Holocaust Centre.
PhD student, University of Leicester.
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