Muslim kids fly to Auschwitz to learn about Holocaust of Jews

07 November 2007

EXCLUSIVE ted.jeory@archant.co.uk

A GROUP of Muslim teenagers has flown out to visit Auschwitz concentration camp to learn about the horrors of the Jewish Holocaust.

The 12 from schools in London's East End flew out at 3am this morning (Weds) in a groundbreaking council project to improve interfaith relations.

The six boys and six girls were selected from Tower Hamlets schools and left for Poland at 3am. They are due to return late tonight.

The group is getting a guided tour round the notorious Auschwitz-Birkenau death camps, where one-and-a-half million Jews died in Hitler's 'Final Solution' in which six million perished during the Second World War.

The trip was the brainchild of Elena Noel-Beswick, deputy head of Bethnal Green Technology College, who has been involved in moves to improve the East End's community cohesion with a national project called The Price of Prejudice.

She said before leaving for Poland this morning: "This is a chance for these youngsters to consider the impact of the Holocaust on society.

"For this group experiencing Auschwitz and Birkenau first hand, it will make the events of the 1940s and other genocides a reality against which they will be able to speak out.

"It is also a chance to work and think together about their shared future."

The Holocaust Education Trust, which has taken thousands of children to Auschwitz on a similar scheme, came out in support of today's trip by East End youngsters.

Its chief executive Karen Pollock said: "Seeing is believing.

"The impact of seeing Auschwitz at first hand will be long-lasting and memorable.

"It's so important that youngsters of today need to learn about the past and apply those lessons to today.

"I hope the children come back with a real sense of duty and responsibility to make a difference in their communities"

The kids are making video diaries of their Auschwitz visit which are being presented at a seminar on Holocaust Memorial Day in January.

The Town Hall hopes the experiences will give pupils the strength to speak out about what they have seen and be able to talk about the impact of extremism.

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Does today's generation of schoolchildren really need to know about the 1939-45 Holocaust? Tell us what you think. Mark your email "Holocaust" on the title line.

ela.editorial@archant.co.uk