United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Announces 20th Anniversary National Tribute And Tour

Museum to Honor Holocaust Survivors and World War II Veterans At Historic Gathering in the Nation's Capital and at Events Nationwide

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Marking two decades of honoring the memory of the Holocaust and inspiring citizens and leaders worldwide, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum today announced its 20th anniversary commemoration plans to take place on the National Mall in Washington, DC, in four US cities, and in communities nationwide. The Museum's anniversary theme, "Never Again: What You Do Matters" asks America to renew its pledge to honor Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans and challenges today's generations to act upon the lessons of the Holocaust and fulfill the promise of Never Again.

"In just 20 years the Museum has vastly exceeded the most optimistic hopes of its founders, many of whom were survivors," says Museum Director Sara J. Bloomfield.  "It has not only educated millions worldwide about the Holocaust, it has helped shape our national discourse about the moral responsibilities of individuals and nations. The issues the Museum addresses—the fragility of democracy, the nature of hate, and the consequences of indifference—will only become more important in the next 20 years."  

Since the Museum's opening in 1993, it has welcomed over 34 million visitors through its doors, including almost 100 heads of state and over 10 million students.  Each year, more than 38 million per year from 100 countries daily visit its 14-language website.

On the occasion of its 20th anniversary, individuals around the world are invited to join the Museum in its work to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive and bring its lessons to current and future generations. A special 20th anniversary website,www.ushmm.org/neveragain, provides 20 actions people anywhere can take to raise awareness about the Holocaust and its continuing relevance.  Visitors can share stories, photographs, or videos about how the Museum or the memory of the Holocaust has inspired them to take action to confront hate or antisemitism today, or take an online pledge to confront genocide. 

Details on the National Tribute and Tour follow.

20th Anniversary National Tour

To mark this historic occasion, the Museum is planning a four-city tour to honor survivors and World War II veterans, bringing the history and lessons of the Holocaust to local communities and thanking those communities for their continuous support to secure the future of the Museum's important work. Recognizing that the generation of survivors and World War II veterans is aging, the Museum is taking its 20th anniversary to four US cities with some of the largest survivor populations. Attendance is free but registration is required. For more information on each stop, please visit www.ushmm.org/neveragain or call 866.998.7466.

Boca Raton, Florida: December 9, 2012, Marriott at Boca Center
Los Angeles: February 17, 2013, Skirball Cultural Center
New York: March 3, 2013, Hyatt Grand Central
Chicago: June 9, 2013, Chicago Cultural Center

Tour Programming:
In each city, the Museum will host a free, daylong public event of programming and family activities and is encouraging people of all ages to participate in this historic moment. For a complete schedule of events and to register for your local stop, please visit ushmm.org/neveragain or call 866.998.7466.

Programming will include interactive workshops and panel discussions to engage audiences in thought-provoking questions such as What if Hitler had access to the Internet? Does memory have the power to change the world? and Can we make never again more than a promise?

Museum curators will be on site to provide helpful information on how to preserve Holocaust-era artifacts or donate personal collections as part of the Museum's ongoing work to "rescue the evidence" of the Holocaust and other victims of Nazi persecution. Onsite family research services will be available for survivors and their families.  Rare films and historical footage from the Museum's collection that have never been seen outside the Museum's walls will be featured in special viewings.

In each city, the day will conclude with an hourlong tribute ceremony to honor Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans as they pass a challenge to new generations to always remember the victims and the survivors, and to learn from the lessons of the Holocaust.

20th Anniversary National Tribute
On Sunday and Monday, April 28-29, 2013, the National Tribute to Holocaust Survivors and World War II Veterans in Washington, DC, will bring together survivors, World War II veterans, and their families. All events are free for Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans, but registration is required. For ticket and registration information, please visit www.ushmm.org/neveragain or call 866.998.7466.

Thousands of people from across the country and around the world will join Elie Wiesel, the Museum's Founding Chairman, at this historic two-day gathering.

At a National Tribute Dinner on April 28, the Museum will present its highest honor, the Elie Wiesel Award, to two individuals:

Wladyslaw Bartoszewski of Poland, on behalf of all rescuers and in recognition of his extraordinary actions saving Jews during the Holocaust, and Susan Eisenhower, granddaughter of Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, who will accept the medal on behalf of all World War II veterans.

On April 29, 2013, the Museum will host an Open House. The Museum will be closed to the public to mark the historic occasion, but attendance is free to all who register in advance. In addition to the programming that will take place at each tour stop, there will be opportunities for Holocaust survivors from the same pre-war community, ghetto, or concentration camp as well as veterans from the same military divisions to reunite. Previews will also be held of the Museum's newest special exhibition, Some Were Neighbors: Collaboration and Complicity in the Holocaust, opening in spring 2013.

About the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

A living memorial to the Holocaust, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum inspires citizens and leaders worldwide to confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity. Federal support guarantees the Museum's permanent place on the National Mall, and its far-reaching educational programs and global impact are made possible by generous donors. For more information, visit www.ushmm.org.

SOURCE United States Holocaust Memorial Museum