Holocaust Educational Trust
Encyclopedia
The Holocaust Educational Trust (HET) is a British
charity, founded by Greville Janner and Merlyn Rees in 1988, whose aim is to "educate young people of every background about the Holocaust and the important lessons to be learned for today." Its chairman is Greville Janner and its president is R. Stephen Rubin. Its Honorary Patrons include the former Archbishop of Canterbury
, Lord Carey, Lord Dholakia
, Lord Mackay of Clashfern and Elie Wiesel
.
The HET states that one of its earliest achievements was ensuring that the Holocaust formed part of the National Curriculum for history
.
students and practising teachers. The trust organises an annual intensive ten-day course in Israel
for teachers, in partnership with the International School for Holocaust Studies at Yad Vashem
.
reporter who accompanied such a visit in 1999 wrote:
In 2006, more than 400 students made such visits. This project is supported by a £1.5 million grant from the Treasury
, enabling two students from every secondary school and further education college in Britain to visit Auschwitz each year. The trust asks students on this programme to report on their visit to their schools and the wider community, and chooses one pair of students as the HET's "student ambassadors" for the year.
, who had assisted in the rescue of Holocaust victims, posthumously recognised with official British Honours. The Government created the British Hero of the Holocaust
medal, awarding it in March 2010 to 25 people posthumously, as well as to Sir Nicholas Winton
and Denis Avey
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
charity, founded by Greville Janner and Merlyn Rees in 1988, whose aim is to "educate young people of every background about the Holocaust and the important lessons to be learned for today." Its chairman is Greville Janner and its president is R. Stephen Rubin. Its Honorary Patrons include the former Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, Lord Carey, Lord Dholakia
Navnit Dholakia, Baron Dholakia
Navnit Dholakia, Baron Dholakia OBE PC DL is a British Liberal Democrat politician and the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords. Lord Dholakia is one of the most senior Asian politicians in Britain.-Education:...
, Lord Mackay of Clashfern and Elie Wiesel
Elie Wiesel
Sir Eliezer "Elie" Wiesel KBE; born September 30, 1928) is a Hungarian-born Jewish-American writer, professor, political activist, Nobel Laureate, and Holocaust survivor. He is the author of 57 books, including Night, a work based on his experiences as a prisoner in the Auschwitz, Buna, and...
.
The HET states that one of its earliest achievements was ensuring that the Holocaust formed part of the National Curriculum for history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
.
Work
Under its "Outreach Programme", the HET arranges visits to schools by Holocaust survivors, often accompanied by one of its own educators. The trust helps several hundred teachers a year to teach more effectively about the Holocaust, including both PGCEPostgraduate Certificate in Education
The Postgraduate Certificate in Education is a one-year course in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for undergraduate degree holders that allows them to train to be a teacher....
students and practising teachers. The trust organises an annual intensive ten-day course in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
for teachers, in partnership with the International School for Holocaust Studies at Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953 through the Yad Vashem Law passed by the Knesset, Israel's parliament....
.
Lessons from Auschwitz Project
The trust arranges visits to Auschwitz-Birkenau for sixth-form students and police officers. A GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
reporter who accompanied such a visit in 1999 wrote:
Trust members knew from experience, both personal and from the teachers' trip to Auschwitz earlier this year, that this visit would be tough. [...] Seeing one horrendous exhibit after another was relentless and exhausting - many of us ended up numb, stunned, freezing cold. Then we felt awful - how dare we find it too much after a few hours?
In 2006, more than 400 students made such visits. This project is supported by a £1.5 million grant from the Treasury
HM Treasury
HM Treasury, in full Her Majesty's Treasury, informally The Treasury, is the United Kingdom government department responsible for developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy...
, enabling two students from every secondary school and further education college in Britain to visit Auschwitz each year. The trust asks students on this programme to report on their visit to their schools and the wider community, and chooses one pair of students as the HET's "student ambassadors" for the year.
British Hero of the Holocaust award
From 2008, the Trust campaigned to have British people such as Frank FoleyFrank Foley
Major Francis Edward Foley CMG was a British Secret Intelligence Service officer...
, who had assisted in the rescue of Holocaust victims, posthumously recognised with official British Honours. The Government created the British Hero of the Holocaust
British Hero of the Holocaust
The British Hero of the Holocaust award is a special national award given by the UK government in recognition of British citizens who assisted in rescuing victims of the Holocaust. On 9 March 2010 it was awarded to 25 individuals posthumously, and to two living people, Sir Nicholas Winton aged 100,...
medal, awarding it in March 2010 to 25 people posthumously, as well as to Sir Nicholas Winton
Nicholas Winton
Sir Nicholas George Winton, MBE is a British humanitarian who organised the rescue of 669 mostly Jewish children from German-occupied Czechoslovakia on the eve of the Second World War in an operation later known as the Czech Kindertransport. Winton found homes for them and arranged for their safe...
and Denis Avey
Denis Avey
Denis Avey fought in the desert during the Second World War and was captured and held as a prisoner of war for two years near Auschwitz III, a concentration camp...
.