Dear GEM members,

I recently met Natalie Silverdale (currently a Research Associate at the
Open University) through another project and I have become very interested
in a research proposal she has put together:

'(60 years on) Romanian Holocaust Survivors Reflect on Life, Humanity and
the World'

The overview and background to her proposed research is as follows:

"I visited Holocaust survivors in Tirgu-Mures, a small town in Northern
Transylvania towards the end of March this year.  I was surprised at the
effect spending time with this community of people who had lived through and
survived the Holocaust, had on me.  In particular I was moved by the
dedication and compassion of the 'community leaders', who appeared to me to
work tirelessly for the physical, emotional, spiritual and social well-being
of their people.  My week with this community was both humbling and
awe-inspiring.  I found myself wanting to know more about the people of this
community, their values, beliefs and views on the world.

Indeed, it was during my week with these people that I became aware that the
Jewish community of Tirgu-Mures, and thousands of people like them all over
the world, are approaching the end of their lives - yet I am left thinking
that we still have much to learn from such people.   In particular, given
the experiences they have survived, the fact they have rebuilt their lives
and that 60 years on they are still alive, I feel compelled to explore:  Who
are they now, as a result of their experiences? What do they think about
life and the world they (and we) live in?  What do they value?  What are
their beliefs on life?  What have they learnt from their experiences about
themselves and the nature of humanity?  What do they think we have (or have
not) learnt from the Holocaust?  What would they hope for our future?  And
perhaps most importantly given the current state of our 'world', what can we
in the 21st century learn from these people?"

Natalie and I would very much like to develop an information and education
resource aimed at and involving teenagers, but of interest in a much wider
learning context too, that will bring alive 'the past in the present'. This
may be through a combination of visual and written work (incorporating
traditional and multi-media), and interactive on-line forums. The
Tirgu-Mures community have one computer and an Internet link.

East Renfrewshire Council in Scotland sponsored three schoolgirls to go to
Tirgu-Mures and speak to some of their community about their experiences.
This was made into a television documentary by an independent company.
Natalie and I are keen to follow this up with a further documentary
addressing 'who are we now?'.

We really want to explore possible partnerships with museums/galleries who
are aiming at a teenage audience (incorporating intergenerational work,
digital media, citizenship) so if there are any individuals/organisations
who feel that this type of partnership might be for them please do contact
me at [log in to unmask] or Natalie at
[log in to unmask]

Thanks, we look forward to hearing from you,

Nicky


Nicky Boyd
Museum Education Consultant
28 Greenhill Court
Greenhill Terrace
London SE18 4BS

(T)020 8317 7572
(M)07759 393779
(E)[log in to unmask]