27 January 2025 will mark the 80ᵉ anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi concentration and extermination camp. On the occasion of the International Day dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Holocaust, more than 250 students from middle schools in Paris and the Paris region joined together at UNESCO for a significant and meaningful event.
The Campus opened with a warm welcome from Matthieu Guével, UNESCO's Director of Communication, and Cecilia Barbieri, Chief of UNESCO's Section for Education for Global Citizenship and Peace. They underlined UNESCO's fundamental role in the fight against racism, hate in all its forms and anti-Semitism, reaffirming the importance of education in building an inclusive and tolerant future.
Philippe Étienne, Ambassador of France and Chairman of , then took the floor. He explained to the audience that the aim of the commemoration was to raise awareness among young people of the importance of remembering past tragedies and passing on a universal message of peace and freedom.
Mrs Beate Klarsfeld and Mr Serge Klarsfeld, UNESCO Honorary Ambassadors for Holocaust Education and the Prevention of Genocide, then shared their personal stories as survivors and their commitment to the fight against impunity for those responsible for the Nazi Final Solution. They emphasised the need to prevent anti-Semitism, a struggle for which they have now become symbols.
The students then watched the film by Michel Hazanavicius, a fictional account that reflects the reality of the Shoah and offers a perspective on the horror of the Holocaust.
After the screening, the students had a discussion with Florence Gastaud, co-founder of the production company “Les Compagnons du cinéma” and producer of the film “The Most Precious of Cargoes”.
During the discussion, Florence explained how the film, by using the expression ‘Heartless’ to refer to the Jews, explores a form of universality that allows parallels to be drawn with other conflicts and stigmatization around the world. The great hope of this film lies in its power to raise awareness for future generations against all forms of racism.
During the discussion, a student from the Paul Éluard middle school asked an essential question: How can we pay tribute to the victims of genocide today?
Florence replied that it was above all a question of immersing ourselves in their stories so as to preserve them and pass them on to future generations.
Memory work is about rediscovering for yourself the history of people who may have lived near you. It’s about reconstructing their journeys so that their stories are never forgotten
Following this, Denis Peschanski, Emeritus Director of Research at the CNRS and Chairman of the Scientific and Orientation Council of Mission Libération, gave the students an analysis of the history of the Shoah and “The Most Precious of Cargoes”. The expert explained how the film, through images and fiction, provides an account of the atrocities of the extermination of the Jews in Europe, avoiding excessive violence and encouraging reflection. He also stressed the importance of words in analysing reality and understanding the specific nature of genocide as the systematic extermination of an entire people.
The students questioned Denis Peschanski about the interpretation of certain elements of the film and its role as a testimony to a period of inhumanity. He reminded them that the younger generations had a crucial role to play in passing on this memory and preserving peace.
This genocide is a unique tragedy, and it is our duty to pass on its history.
This UNESCO Campus was an opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the tragic lessons of history, to strengthen their commitment to the values of tolerance and humanism, and to take a full part in the commemoration of the Holocaust, arming themselves to combat all the forms of violence and hate that still threaten our societies today.
This event was made possible in collaboration with and with the support of .
