United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Brings 20th Anniversary National Tour To Chicago

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Marking two decades of honoring the memory of the Holocaust and inspiring citizens and leaders worldwide, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum will bring its 20th anniversary National Tour to Chicago on June 9.

Chicago marks the fourth and final stop of the National Tour, which, together with the Museum's National Tribute to Holocaust Survivors and World War II Veterans, has introduced thousands of people across the country to the lessons of the Holocaust. More than 300 Chicagoans have already participated in these 20th anniversary activities by traveling to the Museum's National Tribute on April 28-29 in Washington, DC. The June 9 event will honor Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans, bring the history and lessons of the Holocaust to the Chicago community, and thank dedicated area residents for their continued support securing the future of the Museum's important work.

"Twenty years after the founding of the Museum, the timeless lessons of the Holocaust—the fragility of democracy, the nature of hate and the consequences of indifference—are more relevant than ever," said Sara J. Bloomfield, director of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. "As we honor Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans in the Chicago community, we pledge to them that we will forever remember their experiences and teach the world about the Holocaust and its lessons for humanity."

The Museum's anniversary theme, Never Again: What You Do Matters, asks the Chicago community, and all Americans, to reaffirm the nation's pledge to honor Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans and challenges today's generations to act upon the lessons of the Holocaust. The Museum has developed 20 actions that anyone, anywhere can take to preserve Holocaust memory and fulfill the promise of Never Again. More information on the Museum's 20th anniversary and National Tour can be found at www.ushmm.org/neveragain.  

20th Anniversary National Tour—Chicago

On June 9, the Museum's free, daylong public event at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers will feature programming and family activities. People of all ages are invited to participate in this historic moment.

Date:             June 9, 2013
Time:            10 a.m.–5 p.m.
(Tribute ceremony from 11 a.m.–noon)
Location:      Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers
                     301 East North Water Street
                     Chicago, IL 60611

Chicago event attendees will have the opportunity to attend interactive workshops and panel discussions that will engage audiences with thought-provoking questions, such as "Who was responsible for the Holocaust?" 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?" Speakers include:

• Peter Hayes: Editor of Lesson and Legacies: The Meaning of the Holocaust in a Changing World
• Marvin Kalb: Journalist and Edward R. Murrow Professor of Practice Emeritus at the Harvard Kennedy School
• Shankar Vedantam: National Public Radio science correspondent and author of the acclaimed book, The Hidden Brain

Museum curators will be on site to provide 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. On-site family research and services will be available for survivors and their families. Rare films and historical footage from the Museum's collection that have never before the National Tour been seen outside the Museum's walls will be featured for special viewings.

At 11 a.m. an hour-long Tribute ceremony will honor Chicago-area Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans as they pass a challenge to new generations to always remember the victims and survivors, and to learn from the lessons of the Holocaust.

Attendance at the Chicago Tour stop is free, but space is limited, so registration is required. For more information and to register, please visit www.ushmm.org/neveragain or call 866.998.7466.

Following the Museum's Tour stop is a performance of Annelies: The Choral Setting of the Diary of Anne Frank at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance. A pre-concert discussion with the composer and musicians begins at 5 p.m.  The concert begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are required and can be purchased by calling 312.334.7777 and using the promotional code USHMM  The concert is made possible by Mesirow Financial. 

20th Anniversary National Tour and Tribute

Chicago is the last of four stops on the Museum's National Tour, which launched in Boca Raton, Florida, in December 2012, and continued in Los Angeles and New York in February and March 2013. In these visits to US cities with some of the largest Holocaust survivor and World War II veteran populations, the Museum already reached nearly 6,000 people, educating them about the Holocaust and its lessons, and honored 900 survivors and 150 veterans.

The centerpiece of the Museum's 20th anniversary, a National Tribute to Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans, was held in Washington, DC, on April 28-29. The Tribute brought together nearly a thousand Holocaust survivors and veterans, their families, President Bill Clinton, Museum Founding Chairman Elie Wiesel, international guests, dignitaries, and Museum partners to mark the Museum's 20th anniversary and challenge new generations to continue the Museum's important work.

More information on the National Tribute is available at http://neveragain.ushmm.org/events/entry/events-tribute.

20th Anniversary—20 Actions

In addition to the National Tour and Tribute, 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 hatred or antisemitism today, or take an online pledge to confront genocide. To date, more than 80,000 people have taken an action to help preserve Holocaust memory and transmit its lessons to future generations.

National corporate sponsors of the Museum's 20th anniversary are Ancestry.com, WorldStrides, Primexx Energy Partners, Mesirow Financial, DLA Piper, Holland & Knight and The David Geffen Foundation.

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. Visit www.ushmm.org for more information.

SOURCE United States Holocaust Memorial Museum