Dutch to keep backing Ukraine exhibit

By · August 28, 2007

The Dutch government will continue its financial support of a Holocaust education program in Ukraine until 2009.

The program, backed by the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports and run by the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, consists of a traveling exhibition called “Anne Frank: A History for Today.” It tells the story of Anne Frank and of young Ukrainian victims of the Holocaust, and is aimed at combating Ukraine’s rising tide of xenophobia and intolerance. The exhibit has visited 26 Ukrainian cities between 2003 and 2007.

Dozens of Ukrainian students were trained as exhibit guides in each of the visited cities and led thousands of fellow students through the program. Teachers have also been trained to discuss the Holocaust, democracy and tolerance in their classrooms. The Ukrainian Association for Teachers and the Kiev-based Institute for Jewish Studies prepared textbooks to accompany those lessons.

The two years of upcoming tours will include a ballet, and further training seminars for students and teachers.

The Ukrainian tour is supported by the Jewish Foundation of Ukraine in partnership with six Ukrainian and Jewish organizations, including the Ukrainian Center for Holocaust Studies.