Historic book helps tackle prejudice
More than 200 students from eight secondary schools across the Bradford District are supporting a major project and exhibition which tackles prejudice based on the life and experiences of the young Jewish diarist, Anne Frank.
This will be the sixth visit of the ‘Anne Frank and You’ exhibition in Bradford where pupils have been trained as Anne Frank Ambassadors.
The Ambassadors will guide school parties and visitors around the exhibition during May, sharing Anne’s experience as well as their own.
The exhibition is supported by an educational workshop on the theme of ‘Stand up, Speak out, Make a Difference (SUSOMAD)’.
‘Anne Frank and You’ examines the trials and tribulations of Anne Frank, using her experiences from the past to promote understanding and tolerance for today’s world.
The exhibition is presented in two parts – historical and contemporary. It presents the story of Anne Frank and her family, with a pictorial timeline charting the rise of Hitler, the Nazis and the subsequent Holocaust.
A full-scale replica of the bedroom where Anne Frank hid from the Nazis for two years is also displayed at the thought-provoking exhibition.
The contemporary panels present issues of identity and moral choices in modern British society and the exhibition links Anne’s diary to human rights issues – looking at race, democracy, human rights and social justice.
Diversity and Cohesion’s peer education training programme helps prepare students for their Ambassador roles at the exhibition.
The exhibition takes place at Kala Sangam, St. Peter’s House in Bradford and is hosted by Bradford Council’s Children’s Services Diversity and Cohesion team.
Michael Jameson, Strategic Director for Children’s Services in Bradford said: “The Anne Frank story is an inspiration to us all and is a great opportunity for young people to visit the exhibition and see for themselves the importance of this story of respect for others.”
Alina Khan, Head of Diversity and Cohesion said: “The project has evolved over eight years to address the issues that young people feel are most important to them.
“Each year we ask young people to choose what they want to stand up and speak about, after learning about the experiences of people like Anne Frank and Malala Yousafzai.
“Student ownership of issues like grooming and radicalisation has been overwhelming. Student voice is probably the most powerful tool a school has, and to see it being used so effectively to address issues that really matter to young people is having a really profound impact.”
