Holocaust Memorial Day 2023

U4 History & Art Workshop and L6 Enrichment Lecture for Holocaust Memorial Day

On Friday 27^th January for Holocaust Memorial Day, the U4s had a history and art workshop where they used vintage imagery of Holocaust survivors and the people that helped them to create artwork inspired by artist Naomi Vona. Vona is an Italian artist based in London who’s work combines different mediums such as photography, collages and illustration. Her research is focused on altering vintage and contemporary found images, creating new interpretations of the original images. Using pens, paper, washi tape and stickers she gives to every image a new life. The U4s were very engaged and creative in their approach and were inspired by the theme of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day, ‘Ordinary People’.

The L6 had a double enrichment lecture about the Rwandan Genocide. The session was introduced by U6 student Cate, who spoke about her experience working with the Lessons from Auschwitz project. Part of the project was to spread information and awareness of other genocides. Cate chose the Rwandan genocide and particularly wanted to focus on the implications and consequences for women in the country. Cate gave a small presentation to the L6 to contextualise the genocide and spoke about the major implications on their physical and mental health. After Cate’s presentation the L6 were joined, via video link from Canada, by Liliane Pari Umuhoza. Liliane, a survivor of the Rwandan genocide spoke about her own experiences and how she had come to the terms with the trauma she experienced and that many people around her had as well. She detailed the way in which uses her life experience and her work with non-profits to promote peace. Liliane founded the Retreat for Women Genocide Survivors initiative, a program supporting psychologically and financially women survivors of the Genocide in Rwanda. The L6 were able to ask questions to Liliane with many asking about her life since the genocide and what her hopes were for the future. Overall, the lecture was a timely reminder that Holocaust Memorial Day is not just about the Holocaust of the Second World War but also more recent crimes against humanity.