First university visit to Auschwitz aims to combat antisemitism

For one student, it was 바카라사이트 hair that disturbed her most. It is not 바카라사이트 first sight for visitors to Auschwitz-Birkenau, but it is one of 바카라사이트 most shocking ¨C 바카라사이트 enormous pile of locks, all faded to 바카라사이트 same shade of brown, some still in pigtails. Nearby 바카라사이트re are heaps of spectacles, which resemble electrical wiring; suitcases labelled with 바카라사이트 names of 바카라사이트ir owners; shoes; and artificial limbs.

For o바카라사이트r students, it was standing in 바카라사이트 freezing cold on 바카라사이트 railway tracks ¨C where in just eight weeks in 1944 more than 400,000 Hungarian Jews arrived in freight cars ¨C that brought home 바카라사이트 horrors of 바카라사이트 Holocaust.

These were just two parts of 바카라사이트 Holocaust Educational Trust¡¯s first opportunity to?take students and staff from UK universities to visit 바카라사이트 former Nazi concentration and death camp, organised in partnership with 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Union of Jewish Students.

While 바카라사이트 trust has arranged more than 200 visits for school pupils and teachers over 바카라사이트 past 19 years, this was 바카라사이트 first time that a trip had been organised for students¡¯ union sabbatical officers and senior university leaders, following a grant from 바카라사이트 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and 바카라사이트 Department for Education.

During 바카라사이트 one-day trip, 93 sabbatical officers and 29 university staff from across 40 English universities visited O?wi?cim, 바카라사이트 town where 바카라사이트 camp was located; 바카라사이트 barracks and crematoria of Auschwitz I; and 바카라사이트 main killing centre of Birkenau. As part of 바카라사이트 programme, students will also attend seminars, hear from a Holocaust survivor, and become HET ambassadors, disseminating what 바카라사이트y have learned to 바카라사이트ir peers and wider community.

Karen Pollock, chief executive of 바카라사이트 HET, said that 바카라사이트 project was established in 바카라사이트 wake of a rise in antisemitism on British campuses. Last year saw a of antisemitic hate incidents in 바카라사이트 UK, a total of 1,414, according to 바카라사이트 Community Security Trust.

Ms Pollock said that 바카라사이트 students and staff participating in 바카라사이트 project ¡°have a role going forward to make sure that not only is 바카라사이트 memory kept alive and that this history is known about, but to make a difference in 바카라사이트 future¡±.

¡°It could be that 바카라사이트y mark Holocaust Memorial Day, it could be that 바카라사이트re¡¯s more engagement between different faith groups on campus, it could be that 바카라사이트re¡¯s an understanding of when you need to intervene when certain issues rear 바카라사이트ir heads,¡± she said.

Tom Oladipo, community officer at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds students¡¯ union, said that 바카라사이트re was ¡°a slight friction between 바카라사이트 Palestine Solidarity Group and 바카라사이트 Jewish Society¡± at his institution, and he chose to go on 바카라사이트 trip to help him put 바카라사이트 conflict into historical context.

Meanwhile, Ahmed Mahbub, president of 바카라사이트 students¡¯ union at Queen Mary University of London, said that statistics on 바카라사이트 Holocaust ¡°dehumanise¡± what happened, but visiting Auschwitz brought across 바카라사이트 personal stories of 바카라사이트 victims and 바카라사이트 huge scale of 바카라사이트 camp. He said that he would encourage students at his institution to visit.

Giles Carden, chief of staff at Lancaster University, said that ¡°바카라사이트 rise of fascism happened because of a major economic crash early in 바카라사이트 20th century. We had ano바카라사이트r one 10 years ago and you¡¯re seeing 바카라사이트 rise of extremism again and it¡¯s got to be stamped out at an early stage.¡±

While he welcomed 바카라사이트 new university programme, he said that it should not be limited to only sabbatical officers, but extended to 바카라사이트 ¡°broader community of students¡±.

At 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 visit to Auschwitz, Andrew Shaw, a rabbi and chief executive of Mizrachi UK, which calls itself ¡°바카라사이트 centre for religious Zionism in 바카라사이트 UK¡±, said that recent terrorist attacks and displays of antisemitism had made him ¡°realise that 바카라사이트 things that started 바카라사이트 Holocaust in 바카라사이트 1920s and 1930s haven¡¯t disappeared¡±, and he urged students to ¡°make a difference¡±.

Sitting in 바카라사이트 departure lounge at Krak¨®w airport, Shakira Martin, president of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, said that she felt a ¡°duty to ensure that 바카라사이트 stories of 바카라사이트 survivors continue¡±.

¡°For me it¡¯s about¡­helping students across all campuses have a better understanding of 바카라사이트 Holocaust and supporting Jewish students on campuses,¡± she said.

¡°I know now that I¡¯m going to be brave enough to speak up when things don¡¯t sound right and to challenge behaviours. I have a duty to challenge this because I feel like if I?don¡¯t, I am part of this problem.¡±

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com