29TH ANNUAL HOLOCAUST CONFERENCE AT MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY
US Fed News
May 19, 2009 Tuesday 3:49 PM EST
MILLERSVILLE, Pa., March 25 — Millersville University issued the
following news release:
Millersville University of Pennsylvania’s 29th Annual Conference
on the Holocaust and Genocide will take place on Wednesday, April
1 until Friday April 3, 2009. This year’s conference is titled
"Resisting Genocide: History, Culture and the Arts in the Holocaust and
beyond." "In its inception, the conference was aimed almost exclusively
at the study and analysis of the Jewish Holocaust and associated
problems, such as the role of anti-Semitism," said director of the
conference Dr. Saulius Suziedelis, history. "Over the years, however,
while our primary interest still revolves around the Holocaust we have
come to pay increasing attention to other genocides, for example,
the events in Armenia and more recently in Rwanda and Bosnia." The
University’s annual convention is the longest running Holocaust
conference in the world, featuring noted scholars on the Holocaust and
Genocide. Opening the conference is keynote speaker Robert Gellately,
Earl Ray Beck professor of history at Florida State University,
an internationally renowned scholar and award-winning author.
Also included on April 1, Cristina Bejan, research fellow of the
Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies (CAHS) and the United States
Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) will be the chair discussant of
"National Myths of Holocaust Resistance and Rescue: Slovakia, Turkey,
Bulgaria." In this discussion, various members of USHMM and CAHS will
speak on the involvement of Turkey, Bulgaria and Slovakia’s role in
the Holocaust and Genocide. Films are also involved this year in the
discussions, including Paul Bartorp of Bailik College in Australia’s
discussion of "The Grey Zone and "Escape from Sobibor." Mary Johnson,
senior historian, will show "Blessed is the Match: The life of Hanna
Senesh," a story about Hanna Senesh, a poet and diarist during World
War II. Senesh was involved in the only military rescue mission for
Jews during the holocaust. Producer of "As Seen Through These Eyes,"
Hilary Helstein, executive director of the Los Angeles Jewish Film
Festival will lead the discussion "Art, Film and the Holocaust," along
with survivor of the Vilna Ghetto and artist Judith Goldstein. "As Seen
Through These Eyes" will then be shown after the discussion. A musical
program will take place on April 2 from 7:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. in Lyte
Auditorium, featuring Dr. Robert Convery’s "Songs of Children," written
in memory of the children of the Terezin Concentration Camp. The
Millersville University Chorale, directed by Dr. Jeffrey Gemmell,
music, will perform. Tickets are $10 and more information can be found
at The conference features a wide variety of
discussions and perspectives on the Holocaust, from viewing the arts
of World War II, to the anguish of victims through films and speeches,
to discussions on the use of propaganda during a Genocide to appeal
to emotions. "This is the longest ongoing conference of its kind in
the world and it has a pronounced international element," explained
Suziedelus. "We have hosted presenters from Portugal, Lithuania,
Poland, Bosnia, Rwanda, Israel and other countries." On April 1,
all events will be held in the Lehr Room in Gordinier Conference
Center. For more information on each of the events and speakers, please
see the conference website at The
Heritage Hotel in Lancaster, Pa. is providing lodging for those hoping
to attend the conference. For reservations, call 717-898-2431. If
you would like to be included on the mailing list for the conference,
email Maggie Eichler at [email protected] with your name
and address.For more information please contact: Sarabjit Jagirdar,
Email:- [email protected]