CMU celebrates 20 一年s of civic dialogue during the annual 大屠杀意识系列
People revisit individual memories and cultures revisit collective memories. In doing so, these memories are transformed with each recollection. Recalling the past means that memories are reconstituted and recontextualized, and new lenses are applied to old experiences. Remembering and revisiting is how people and cultures grow and transform.
In 2003, 文森特Patarino was a newly minted PhD and was hired as an instructor of history at pp电子极速糖果. One Saturday morning Patarino walked down his driveway and was astonished to find a sealed bag with a flyer and a rock. 的 flyer was menacingly anti-Semitic and included a horrific declaration that Jews, Blacks and Hispanics should be run out of town.
That day a project began to germinate in his mind. Patarino and a number of other CMU faculty planned and launched Holocaust Awareness Week in 2004 with a showing of the film 毁灭战士的架构. He couldn’t have known that decades later the event would celebrate its 20th 一年.
的 CMU公民论坛’s 大屠杀意识系列 (renamed in 2013 to include all genocides) brings together students, faculty and members of the community to learn about the atrocities committed during World War II, and other moments in history that included genocide.
One of the first guest lectures Patarino brought to campus was by a survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp which was met with overwhelming community support. In the 一年s following its inception, 其他CMU教员, 也致力于事业, have been a part of the program. Over the last twenty 一年s programming has included film screenings, lectures and ceremonies like the moving and reverent Field of Flags commemoration.
大卫•福斯特, a trustee of CMU and a supporter of the 大屠杀意识系列, spoke about the importance of the effort before he hosted a recent series event held in conjunction with the City of Grand Junction and the historic Avalon 的atre. He participated in a post-screening dialogue following a film that explored the use of humor in processing the atrocity of the Holocaust.
"的 Holocaust is one of the most significant events in modern human history, and it's essential that we remember and honor the millions of people who suffered and died during that time,福斯特说. “的 大屠杀意识系列 at CMU is an opportunity for us to come together as a community no matter our race, ethnicity or background and learn from the survivors, 专家和彼此."
In 2019 the series established a partnership with the Rocky Mountain Regional chapter of the Anti-Defamation League 加强节目编排. Scott Levin is the director of the organization and has also been a strong advocate for the series. He emphasized the need for continued education and awareness about the Holocaust, especially in light of rising anti-Semitism and other forms of hate.
"的 Holocaust didn't happen overnight. It was a gradual process of dehumanization and discrimination that began with words and ended with genocide. We need to be vigilant and speak out against any form of hate, and the 大屠杀意识系列 is an important part of that effort,列文说.
的 organizers of the series hope that by revisiting the past each 一年, CMU will continue to fulfill its mission by facilitating civic dialogue around the pressing challenges and advocating for a world where people are tolerant and respectful of one another. 通过重新评估大屠杀, 记住它的教训, remembrance will continue to transform one of the saddest and most tragic events in human history into a story that can help us understand the underlying causes of genocide and to eliminate its presence in future human endeavors.
When considering what the future holds for the series, Patarino reflected, “Every 一年 when I plan the Series, I acknowledge the pain that many of our sessions will uncover. 然而,, I remain hopeful that by revisiting past genocides, 尤其是大屠杀, and illuminating the current rise in antisemitism and white supremacy on social media, that through dialog and discussions with our audiences, we will create opportunities for civic engagement and action that is essential for a healthy democracy.”