The Akron-Summit Council on Holocaust & Genocide Education will hold the 36th annual Akron-Summit Holocaust Commemoration and Awards Ceremony on May 7, 2024 at the Akron-Summit County Public Main Library Auditorium beginning promptly at 6 p.m. Please arrive by 5:45 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.
Jeanette Grunhaus de Gelman, second generation Holocaust Survivor and author of On Sunny Days We Sang: A Holocaust Story of Survival will speak on her experiences related to this year’s Arts and Writing Contest theme ‘Lessons of the Holocaust: How Hatred Turns to Violence.’
Additionally, the winners of the 36th Annual Akron-Summit Holocaust Arts & Writing Contest, a contest held for Summit County students grades 6-12 to promote education about the horrific events of the Holocaust along with other genocides, will be presented with their awards. The winning students’ artwork and writing pieces will be displayed at the Akron-Summit Main Library from April 15, 2024 through May 10, 2024 and at AkronSummitHolocaustEducation.org. A list of the winners and their schools is attached.
The Ceremony will be hosted by Martin H. Belsky, University of Akron Professor and Dean Emeritus and President of the Akron-Summit Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education.
The Akron-Summit Council on Holocaust & Genocide Education is supported by Summit County, the City of Akron, Akron-Summit County Public Library, Jewish Akron, and donations from the community. To help continue Holocaust awareness and educate the youth in our community, donations can be made at: AkronSummitHolocaustEducation.org/donate.
“The annual Holocaust Arts and Writing Contest allows today’s students to reflect on the atrocities of the Holocaust and to creatively engage with the lessons of the past,” said Akron Mayor Shammas Malik. “These lessons are vital to ensuring that the leaders of tomorrow never forget what can happen when hatred is tolerated. I look forward to seeing the outstanding content that our students have created.”
“Honoring those lost during the Holocaust is not just about remembering—it is about learning,” said County Executive Ilene Shapiro, “The art and writing that these students create reminds us to learn and act, and to always stand up to hate. I invite our entire community to join us at this event.”
