School pupils bring Anne Frank's story to Renfrewshire

Home > News and Events > News - release archive > 2008 > November

Zain Kayani, 16, Gordon Edge, 16, Emily Spence, 17, and Emma McLaughlin,17, all S6, acted as guides at the exhibition's official launch at Renfrewshire Council’s headquarters before it moves to four of Renfrewshire’s secondary schools.

The exhibition has now moved to Paisley Grammar school where the team of guides will be taking younger pupils, including those from associated primary schools, through the Anne Frank story.

Over the following three weeks the Anne Frank exhibition will also move to Gleniffer High School, also Paisley, St Benedic's High School in Linwood and Trinity High School in Renfrew.

It offers a unique opportunity for people to engage with the subject of the Holocaust, and reflect on the themes of tolerance and diversity. The life of Anne Frank, the rise of the Nazi party, the history of the Second World War and the appalling consequences of the Holocaust are the threads that run through the entire exhibition.

The exhibition has been brought to Renfrewshire to teach pupils about prejudice and hatred as part of a series of events leading up to Scottish National Holocaust Memorial Day in January.

Renfrewshire was chosen to host the National Holocaust Memorial Day service following the success of its previous schools-led memorial events on National Holocaust Memorial Day and Armistice Day.

The exhibition will also be on show at a special event celebrating diversity through music in Paisley Museum in December.

Emma McLaughlin, one of the guides, said: "Having gone to Auschwitz during the October holiday I am keen to learn more about the history of the persecution people suffered during WW2. I am looking forward to sharing my experience with other people as a guide."

Heather Boyce, project officer for the Anne Frank Scotland, said: "I am very pleased to be working with Renfrewshire Council in its approach to Holocaust Memorial Day. For many people, Anne Frank is a symbol of all those who died in the Holocaust and her diary continues to move and inspire people today just as it did when first published."

Renfrewshire's Provost Celia Lawson said: "The theme of this year's National Holocaust Memorial Day is 'standing up to hatred' and the Anne Frank Exhibition is very much in keeping with this theme. It is vitally important that that the lessons of history and in particular standing up to hatred are passed on to our younger generations and I am very proud of the commitment our schools are already showing to this series of events"”

Press release: Tuesday 11 November 2008