Holocaust Museum and Education Centre to open in Adelaide
A capital campaign to fund the establishment of the Adelaide Holocaust Museum and Steiner Education Centre has been launched.
Andrew Steiner
Adelaide Holocaust survivor and educator Andrew Steiner will develop a Holocaust Museum and Education Centre in Adelaide. The Adelaide Holocaust Museum and Steiner Education Centre will be located in the historic Fennescey House, at 31-33 Wakefield Street Adelaide.
The Centre will offer Holocaust education and remembrance for future generations and commemorate the six million Jews and other innocent victims murdered by the Nazi’s between 1933 and 1945.
This unique museum will work closely with the Jewish Holocaust Centre in Melbourne to offer the best educational experience and ensure the intergenerational transfer of stories of survival to future generations. Links with other diverse communities in Adelaide who have fled persecution and/or genocide, with a goal of promoting tolerance, compassion and human rights will be developed.
Andrew Steiner said: “There are very few of us left now — our days are numbered, so it’s very important to create something for the future in the form of a Holocaust museum and its task is about remembrance and education.
The Holocaust museum will really extend its role far beyond the Holocaust itself, we aim to work towards a better and more compassionate and fairer world.
Our system of education is based on the power or art as an educational tool, the sanctity of life, never to hate, the power of one individual and what a difference one person is capable of making, individual rights and responsibilities … respecting all and treating everyone the way one wishes to be treated.”
Nicola Zuckerman, who recently became trustee of Mr Steiner’s Remember the Holocaust Compassion for All Foundation, said she was inspired by his tireless work to educate others.
“It’s more important now than ever that the lessons of the Holocaust are not lost,” Ms Zuckerman said.
She added: “That future generations are taught those lessons of the Holocaust and other genocides so they might hopefully lead the world driven by virtues of compassion and acceptance and tolerance rather than fear and hatred.”
The keynote speaker at the launch was Alpha Cheng, a high school teacher, Multiculturalism and Diversity Advocate and 2017 ACT Young Australian of the Year Finalist and son of the late Curtis Cheng who was tragically shot by a 15-year old extremist outside NSW Police Headquarters in 2015.
Alpha participated in the Gandel Holocaust Studies Scholarship for Australian Educators that year and through this experience of meeting Holocaust survivors, Alpha was inspired by their strength to spread the message of hope and tolerance. Now an advocate for gun control and speaking out against racism, hate and prejudice, Alpha is the inaugural Ambassador for Courage to Care Victoria, championing Holocaust education for a modern audience.
The Adelaide Holocaust Museum and Steiner Education Centre Trustees are thrilled to announce that Gandel Philanthropy has generously pledged to match all donations, dollar for dollar, up to $100,000 to launch our fundraising campaign. This significant leading pledge comes from one of Australia’s largest independent family philanthropic funds based in Melbourne. We urge the community, businesses and individuals to help us raise the matching funds that will enable the establishment of a Holocaust Museum and Education Centre in Adelaide, South Australia in 2018.
John Gandel and his wife Pauline and the Trustees of Gandel Philanthropy share the vision and are supporting the development and establishment of this Centre. As a leader in Holocaust Education, Gandel Philanthropy sees this Museum and Education Centre as vital to ensure all people, particularly students, learn about the Holocaust, its relevance today, and Human Rights in general.
The matching grant from Gandel Philanthropy will fund the design and fit out of the Museum’s main gallery and the permanent Holocaust exhibition. The Adelaide Holocaust Museum and Steiner Education Centre plan to raise a total of $270,000 with public donations funding the renovations and fit out of the two smaller galleries.
With rising tensions across the world, the need to educate future generations about the Holocaust and ensure the message of ‘Never Again’ is instilled in young people is more important than ever.
To make a donation to the establishment of the Centre, email sdrenth@ahmec.org.au
