United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Kicks Off 20Th Anniversary Commemoration In Boca Raton

Museum's National Tour Will Honor Local Holocaust Survivors and World War II Veterans on December 9 at Marriott at Boca Center

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 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 will launch the commemoration of its 20^th anniversary in Boca Raton with the first stop on its National Tour on Sunday, December 9. The centerpiece of the Museum's 20^th anniversary is a National Tribute to Holocaust Survivors and World War II Veterans to be held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in April 2013. In addition to the four-city National Tour, the Museum is launching a nationwide call to action to secure the permanence of Holocaust memory and ensure its lessons are carried into the future. More information on the Tribute, Tour and anniversary activities can be found at www.ushmm.org/neveragain.  

"The issues the Museum addresses—the fragility of democracy, the nature of hate and the consequences of indifference—are increasingly urgent," said Sara J. Bloomfield, Director of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. "The South Florida community has been instrumental in the Museum's creation and in supporting its efforts to confront these crucial issues. As we honor Holocaust survivors and the World War II veterans, we are also passing the torch to the next generations that will carry this history and its lessons forward in the decades ahead."    

The Museum's anniversary theme, "Never Again: What You Do Matters," asks the Boca Raton community, and all Americans, to renew 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 and fulfill the promise of Never Again.  On the occasion of its 20^th anniversary, individuals everywhere 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.

20^th Anniversary National Tour – Boca Raton

On December 9, the Museum will be in Boca Raton to honor Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans, bring the history and lessons of the Holocaust to this important community and thank residents of Boca Raton for their continued support to secure the future of the Museum's important work.

The Museum's free, day-long public event will feature programming and family activities in Boca Raton. People of all ages are invited to participate in this historic moment.

Date:  December 9, 2012
Time:  9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Location: Marriott at Boca Center
5150 Town Center Circle
Boca Raton, FL 33486

Event attendees in Boca will have the opportunity to attend interactive workshops and panel discussions which 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:

• Sara Bloomfield: Director, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
• Peter Hayes: Author 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
• Nancy Snow: Author of Propaganda Inc. and Information War
• Shankar Vedantam: National Public Radio science correspondent and author of the acclaimed The Hidden Brain

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. 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 been seen outside the Museum's walls will be featured for special viewings.

The day will conclude with  an hour-long tribute ceremony (from 4-5 p.m.) to honor South Florida-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 is free, but registration is required. For more information, please visit ushmm.org/neveragain or call 866-998-7466.

20th Anniversary National Tour and Tribute

Following the tour stop in Boca Raton, the National Tour will visit three additional U.S. cities:

• Los Angeles: February 17, 2013, Skirball Cultural Center
• New York: March 3, 2013, Hyatt Grand Central
• Chicago: June 9, 2013, Chicago Cultural Center

On Sunday and Monday, April 28-29, 2013, the National Tribute to Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans, will bring together a historic gathering of survivors, World War II veterans, and their families in Washington, D.C. All events are free for Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans, but registration is required. For ticket and registration information, please visit 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 the National Tribute in Washington, D.C., which includes a National Tribute Dinner on April 28 and a museum Open House on April 29. On April 28, the Museum will present its highest honor, the Elie Wiesel Award, to Wladyslaw Bartoszewski of Poland and Susan Eisenhower, daughter of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, in recognition of Holocaust rescuers and World War II veterans. The Open House on April 29 will bring together a historic gathering of Holocaust survivors and veterans for a special day of programming and exhibits, including a preview of the Museum's upcoming exhibition, Some Were Neighbors: Collaboration and Complicity During the Holocaust.

The Museum will be closed to the public to mark the historic occasion, but attendance is free to all who register in advance.

20^th Anniversary – 20 Actions

In addition to the National Tour and National Tribute, a special 20^th 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. 

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