The Higgins Bedford, Castle Lane, Bedford

Anne Frank & Family, an exhibition of family photographs by Otto Frank, taken before World War Two will be free to visit at The Higgins Bedford from 24th January – 18th February 2018. The exhibition has been brought to The Higgins Bedford by The Anne Frank Trust and forms a central part of Bedford’s Holocaust Memorial events.

Anne Frank & Family has been shown in St Paul’s Cathedral, London, as well as in New York, Amsterdam and Frankfurt. It is accompanied by a collection of period toys, clothes and books, reflecting those captured in the photos, as well as educational resources for younger visitors.

Holocaust Memorial Day is on 27th January every year and in 2018, the theme is ‘The Power of Words’.

This year the Holocaust Memorial events include a series of workshops for schools run by the Anne Frank Trust, film and theatre events at The Place Theatre, and a launch event on Monday 29th January at The Higgins Bedford from 1pm at which Gillian Walnes Perry, Honorary Vice President and co-founder of the Anne Frank Trust will speak.

The exhibition will also include stories and photographs from people affected by genocide from URUMURI – the Rwandan Survivors’ Association in the UK and Remembering Srebrenica.

A programme of free events will accompany the exhibition, including:

• Wednesday 24th January, 6.30pm: Survivor stories from Rwanda
• Wednesday 31st January, 6.30pm: Survivor stories from Srebrenica
• Wednesday 7th February, 6.30pm: Eva Clarke, who was born in Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria on 29 April 1945 will share her story

13 – 16 February: The Higgins Young Peoples’ Panel (HYPP) will lead a series of activities related to the exhibition and the theme of The Power of Words during February half-term.

Councillor Sarah-Jayne Holland, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture said “It is wonderful that this very important exhibition is coming to The Higgins Bedford, forming part of Bedford’s Holocaust Memorial events. I hope lots of people take this opportunity to visit this free exhibition and events at our local Museum remembering past genocides, and to hear from survivors.”

Chantal Uwamahoro, a survivor of the Rwandan genocide in 1994, said “We must learn from the past so that history does not repeat itself. URUMURI is proud to be part of the exhibition and activities. We want the world to know about the horrors of the Rwandan genocide that massacred one million Tutsis in 100 days. We are dedicated to keeping memories alive.

www.thehigginsbedford.org.uk