Anne Frank’s 84th birthday marks start of exhibition in The Atkinson, Southport

Anne Frank’s 84th birthday marks start of exhibition in The Atkinson, Southport

The Atkinson, Southport’s recently refurbished arts venue is hosting a dramatic multimedia exhibition about the life of Anne Frank and the Holocaust in partnership with the Anne Frank Trust.

Anne Frank + You, the flagship exhibition from the Anne Frank Trust UK, is open from Wednesday 12June until Saturday 7 July and includes an almost life-size replica of Anne’s room in the Secret Annexe where she and her family hid for two years.  It also features a chilling genocide tunnel with powerful film footage, replica artefacts from Anne’s life and the Holocaust, and the “Anne Frank photo album” featuring poignant photos of Anne and her sister Margot.

The exhibition will be open to all Sefton schools in bookable two-hour slots, morning and afternoon from Monday to Friday, and to members of the general public throughout normal opening hours at The Atkinson.

The Anne Frank Trust draws on the power of Anne’s life to challenge prejudice and reduce hatred amongst young people.  Through its Schools Programme, the Trust works with schools across the North West of England and the UK to help students increase their knowledge of Anne Frank and the Holocaust, understand the consequences of unchecked prejudice and discrimination, and increase their confidence by developing literacy and presentation skills.   Teenage Anne Frank Ambassadors will guide visitors around the exhibition.

The opening day of the Anne Frank + You exhibition – Wednesday 12 June – also marks Anne Frank’s 84th birthday.  On this day there will be a special event for invited guests including members of the local community, and featuring contributions from young people who have been working on the Anne Frank Trust’s Schools Programme during April and May. Two keynote speakers will share their experiences with guests and young people: Faye Healey, who came to Britain on the Kindertransport from Danzig in 1938; and Ruth Lachs, from Manchester, who was a hidden child in Amsterdam at the same time as Anne Frank.

Marian McQueen, North West Regional Project Officer at the Anne Frank Trust, said:

The heart and soul of this exhibition is the spirit of Anne Frank: her words, wisdom and values.   However, as well as confronting the Holocaust, Anne Frank + You will enable our young people and the wider public  to confront contemporary issues, including racism in football, the right to an education, bullying and the plight of child soldiers.

“These are challenging issues to deal with at any age, but during our Schools Programme we have been constantly amazed by the maturity shown by all who have engaged with Anne Frank’s story.”

On Monday 17 June there will be an event for schools when Joanna Millan, an orphaned child survivor from The resienstadt concentration camp, will share her experiences.

On Thursday 20 June at 7pm a free talk for adults ‘Anne Frank, Dutch Jews, and the Holocaust’ will take place by a local historian Pauline Collier in Room 2 to coincide with the exhibition. The talk will last 40-50 minutes and will encompass Anne’s experiences and those of other Dutch Jews. It will also emphasise the difference between the Holocaust in Western Europe (eg Holland, France) and as it was in Eastern Europe. As well as why things happened as they did  in those two areas.

To find out more about the exhibition or to book a slot for your school, please contact the Anne Frank Trust on 020 7284 5858 or visit www.bookings@annefrank.org.uk.

To book a place on the free adult talk please call The Atkinson box office on 01704 533333

Notes to editors

The Anne Frank Trust draws on the power of Anne Frank’s life and diary to challenge prejudice and reduce hatred. It is a registered charity, founded in 1990 by family and friends of Anne Frank’s father the late Mr Otto Frank. Visit the Trust’s website at www.annefrank.org.uk

Gillian Walnes, Co-Founder and Executive Director at the Anne Frank Trust, will be available for media interviews on Wednesday 12th June in Southport and/or Manchester.

 

Posted on 6 June 2013 under General news

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