The Politics of Heritage: Legacies of Race, 2005

Holocaust Memorial Day was first held in Britain on 27 January 2001, the 56th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. This chapter addresses the question of why, at the beginning of the twenty-first century, a state-sponsored commemoration should be initiated of an event which took place over half a century ago and outside Britain’s shores. The creation of a new, national, ritual – even one ostensibly about a past event – is not just an outcome of a mounting impetus to remember: it also speaks of, and to, the time and place of which it is part. Among other things, I argue, Holocaust Memorial Day articulates a reconfigured vision of a (multicultural) national identity, legitimated through reference to the past and the iconic evil of our times.

Alex is Senior Education Officer at the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. She joined the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust team as Education Officer in April 2017, following a career in arts and heritage education in museums, schools and cultural organisations. In her role at HMDT she supports teachers in primary, secondary and SEND schools to mark Holocaust Memorial Day with their students. She is responsible for creating resources such as assemblies, lesson plans, activities and projects, and she is the contact person for any questions teachers may have. Alex works in partnership with a number of organisations across the UK to raise awareness of Holocaust Memorial Day in schools, and to continue to offer a varied, engaging, age appropriate and historically accurate education offer. HMDT's resources teach about the Holocaust, Nazi persecution of other groups, and the genocides that have happened since. They feature testimony so students feel a connection to the history through personal stories, and they highlight contemporary relevance and actions we can take today to make the world a safer place.

The Centre for Ethnic Minority Studies, at Royal Holloway, University of London, evaluated the impact of HMD and made recommendations where required to improve the impact and relevance of HMD. The research involved a variety of voices from many communities within the UK and witnessed a variety of HMD commemorations in order to get a better understanding of the nature, content and impact of local events upon the communities where they occur. The Report confirmed the widespread support for HMD.

Personal reflections about the discovery about the fate of my great uncle and his family during the Sho'ah.

Reason Papers, 2018

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2015

2004