Visit a place of harrowing stories and great education
JOBURG – Eight years of hard work is officially open for business in Parkview.
A history of genocide and the Jewish Holocaust comes to life at a new centre in Johannesburg.
The Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre was conceptualised in 2008 along with its other centres in Durban and Cape Town.
The centre, which is located in Jan Smuts Avenue within walking distance of The Joburg Zoo, was officially completed earlier this year and aims to bring awareness to the terrible genocide that took place in Rwanda in 1994 and the Jewish Holocaust which took place in Nazi Germany.
You may be wondering why an organisation would want to relive this terrible history, but it is through this heightened state of awareness that the Association of Holocaust Organisations will allow the public to remember those whose lives were lost during various genocides in history, as well as educate people about why these occurred and how we can prevent them from taking place again by teaching lessons of humanity.
The centre is described by founder and director, Tali Nates as, “A space of memory, of education and a place where the lessons of humanity can be learned from the darkest parts of our history.”
Norman Brown of the City of Joburg explained that the owners of the site donated it to the City and thus the centre was opened, but before that, it was actually the place where the Bernberg Museum of Costume stood for 86 years. The museum was relocated to Museum Africa in 2007, and the building has been empty since then.
Steven Sack, chief executive officer of the Origins Museum at Wits University, told the City that the title deed of the property explicitly read that it should be put to community use.
The historically-rich site is now open for the public to find out more about the genocides of the past, so book your appointment today and learn more.
Details: www.jhbholocaust.co.za/johannesburg/
Read: Engaging with genocide on stage
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