2008 Woodie Awards
Holocaust program to provide reminder of past
Films, speakers help relate historic tragedy to contemporary issues
By Liz Glazier
Rocket Assistant Focus Editor
Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: Focus
For the first year ever, the Holocaust Remembrance Program, which was originally only one day of activities, will instead be a four-day long program of events on campus.
Beginning on April 7, the College of Business, Information and Social Sciences and specifically, the department of political science, will host the "Week for Honoring Human Rights…Your Rights."
Richard Martin, a political science professor, is in charge of organizing the week's activities. Martin, who teaches a course about the Holocaust, said his students came to him with the idea for this program in the early 1990s.
"Fifteen years ago, several students went to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (in Washington, D.C.) and wanted to do something with the information they had learned there," Martin said. "They organized the event the first year and it has been a recurring event ever since."
The first year brought a crowd of about 200 people. There were three guest speakers, all of whom were Jewish survivors of the Holocaust who currently live in the Pittsburgh area.
Martin said many people don't realize that Pittsburgh is now home to many survivors. Pittsburgh is where many displaced prisoners went when World War II ended, he said.
Martin said SRU President Robert Smith attended the series during its third year and decided to help with funding for the event.
"President Smith was there and wanted to make the budget for the program much more systematic," Martin said. "He created and continues to help with the constant funding for the activities."
The Holocaust Remembrance Program has grown in popularity as time has passed, and this year, Martin said he's glad to have activities going on for several days rather than just one.
The week will start off with an Emmy Award-winning film called "From Pittsburgh to Poland." The video will be shown in room 201 of the Spotts World Culture Building at 7 p.m. he film focuses on the stories of three Pittsburgh Holocaust survivors, and also has commentary from local teachers.
Beginning on April 7, the College of Business, Information and Social Sciences and specifically, the department of political science, will host the "Week for Honoring Human Rights…Your Rights."
Richard Martin, a political science professor, is in charge of organizing the week's activities. Martin, who teaches a course about the Holocaust, said his students came to him with the idea for this program in the early 1990s.
"Fifteen years ago, several students went to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (in Washington, D.C.) and wanted to do something with the information they had learned there," Martin said. "They organized the event the first year and it has been a recurring event ever since."
The first year brought a crowd of about 200 people. There were three guest speakers, all of whom were Jewish survivors of the Holocaust who currently live in the Pittsburgh area.
Martin said many people don't realize that Pittsburgh is now home to many survivors. Pittsburgh is where many displaced prisoners went when World War II ended, he said.
Martin said SRU President Robert Smith attended the series during its third year and decided to help with funding for the event.
"President Smith was there and wanted to make the budget for the program much more systematic," Martin said. "He created and continues to help with the constant funding for the activities."
The Holocaust Remembrance Program has grown in popularity as time has passed, and this year, Martin said he's glad to have activities going on for several days rather than just one.
The week will start off with an Emmy Award-winning film called "From Pittsburgh to Poland." The video will be shown in room 201 of the Spotts World Culture Building at 7 p.m. he film focuses on the stories of three Pittsburgh Holocaust survivors, and also has commentary from local teachers.
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