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On 75th anniversary of the liberation of
Auschwitz-Birkenau, Communities Secretary announces half
a million pounds of new funding to help universities
tackle antisemitism on campus
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450 student leaders, journalists and academics to be
taken to Auschwitz over the next three years and expected
to educate tens of thousands of students on their return
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Communities Secretary also demands all universities and
Local Authorities adopt the IHRA definition of
antisemitism
Communities Secretary has
announced £500,000 of new funding for a programme supporting
universities in tackling antisemitism on campus over three
years.
Announced on the 75th anniversary of the liberation of
Auschwitz-Birkenau, the money will support the Holocaust
Education Trust (HET) to help educate the next generation
about the horrors of the holocaust and the importance of
stamping out antisemitism and intolerance.
Each year, 150 university student leaders, student
journalists and academics from around the country will hear
from Holocaust survivors and visit the former Nazi
concentration camps at Auschwitz-Birkenau, where they will
learn about the importance of stamping out antisemitism.
Upon their return, students will participate in a seminar
which will deal explicitly with campus-specific issues and
how to identify and tackle antisemitism.
To drive engagement amongst the student population, the
programme will work with influential student publications and
media, as well as student leaders and networks to disseminate
the messages they have heard first hand to tens of thousands
of students across the country.
The Communities Secretary has also insisted that all
universities and Local Authorities must adopt the
International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)
definition of antisemitism.
He has written to all Local Authorities asking them to adopt
the internationally-recognised definition and will shortly
publish a list of those who have taken this forward and urged
others to follow.
Communities Secretary Rt Hon MP
said:
As we mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of
Auschwitz-Birkenau, it is our duty to ensure that as the
last survivors remain with us, their stories are shared
with future generations.
Education is one of the most powerful tools we can use to
combat antisemitism. I am proud this Government will fund
the Holocaust Educational Trust to educate thousands of
students and academics in the horrors of the Holocaust.
This additional £500,000 of funding will allow hundreds of
university students and academics each year to visit
Auschwitz-Birkenau, hear from the last Holocaust survivors
and, on return to their campuses, help educate students on
the importance of tackling antisemitism.
I have also been clear that all universities and local
councils that have not already done so, must adopt the IHRA
definition of antisemitism. I will shortly publish a list
of councils who have adopted the definition and will urge
others to follow.
The student programme will be delivered by the Holocaust
Educational Trust (HET) in partnership with the Union of
Jewish Students (UJS). It follows the highly successful
2018-19 scheme which identified 30 universities in England
where there had been reports of high levels of antisemitism
or racism.
Funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local
Government, the next phase will be a chance for a greater
number of universities to get involved and builds on from
HET’s highly successful ‘Lessons from Auschwitz’ programme
for school students.
Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust Karen
Pollock MBE said:
As we mark 75 years since the liberation of
Auschwitz-Birkenau, we are reminded today of the importance
of speaking out against antisemitism, wherever it is found.
Student leaders themselves are at the coalface on campus
combatting the antisemitism that blights many students’
university experience. We are proud therefore that thanks
to new government funding we will be able to offer a unique
opportunity for student leaders and Vice-Chancellors for
the next three years to visit Auschwitz. They will see for
themselves the site where 1.1 million people were murdered,
to understand where hate can ultimately lead and I hope
this experience will empower them to stand up to prejudice,
hatred and division on campus and in broader society.
We are proud to partner with the Union of Jewish Students
to deliver this important project.
Daniel Kosky, Union of Jewish Students Campaigns Organiser:
We are immensely grateful that our vitally important
partnership with HET can continue into the future with the
support of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local
Government. The three-year commitment to taking student and
university leaders to Auschwitz-Birkenau will be a vital
tool in tackling antisemitism and hatred on campus.
We have sadly seen an increase of antisemitic incidents on
campus, with distressing incidents of Holocaust
trivialisation at student parties, the use of antisemitic
stereotypes on student social media groups, and an increase
in antisemitism in campus discussion around Israel. We are
determined to combat this and welcome this significant
contribution to our longstanding work bringing students of
all faiths and backgrounds together to create cohesive
campus communities.
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On Thursday 23 January the Communities Secretary attended
the Fifth World Holocaust Forum at Yad Vashem in
Jerusalem. He attended the event entitled, “Remembering
the Holocaust: Fighting Antisemitism,” to mark the 75th
anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and
International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
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HET’s new programme will bring together 150 university
staff and student leaders from across the country each
year through education on the Holocaust, anti-racism
work, British values and understanding of faith.
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The scheme will underpin joint activity with the Union of
Jewish Students to combat prejudice on campus and promote
community cohesion.
* The new programme will encompass all universities,
targeting 450 university student leaders directly who will in
turn reach a further 24,000 university students.
Lessons from Auschwitz (LFA) Project
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HET’s Lessons from Auschwitz Project for sixth form
students and teachers is now in its nineteenth year.
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It has taken over 41,000 students and teachers from
across the UK to the Nazi concentration and death camp
Auschwitz-Birkenau, as well as many MPs and other guests.
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For more information see: Lessons From Auschwitz
University participation facilitated by the Holocaust
Educational Trust (HET) and the Union of Jewish Students
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In 2018-19 HET reached 125 senior leaders and student
leaders.
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The project identified 30 universities in England where
there had been reports of high levels of antisemitism
and/or racism and of these 22 institutions 73%
participated.
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Four delegations of National Union of Students (NUS),
Student Union and student faith leaders went alongside
existing LFA trips to Auschwitz, combined with
orientation seminars and follow up workshops.
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Participants have included two former NUS Presidents, NUS
Vice Presidents for Society and Citizenship, Further
Education, Welfare and Union Development; a NUS LGBT
Officer; Presidents of the Students Unions at the
universities of Abertay, Brunel, City (London), Coventry,
Kent, Leeds Trinity, Lincoln, Nottingham, South Wales,
St. Andrews, Sussex and Swansea; Education, Campaigns,
and Welfare Officers from University College London,
Warwick, and Trinity College Dublin.
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Participants in these programmes have facilitated dozens
of campus events to combat hatred and prejudice and to
mark Holocaust Memorial Day. This activity has reached a
further 4000 students on campuses from Exeter to
Edinburgh.
International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)
definition
- The Jewish Leadership Council are working alongside MHCLG
to encourage local authorities to adopt the IHRA.
*For more information on the definition and illustrations
see: Working Definition of Antisemitism
