History students pass on lessons from past with genocide display

Four history undergraduates have put together a display on genocide called Speak Up, Speak Out – the theme of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day.

The exhibition, which will be on show at Hull History Centre until the end of the month, includes the students’ own insights into human rights violations, from the concentration camps of the Boer War to genocides taking place during their own lifetimes.

With the support of Dr Nicholas Evans at the university’s Wilberforce Institute for the study of Slavery and Emancipation, and staff from the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, the group has met regularly to produce a display that they hope resonates with their peers.

Dr Evans said: “The city of Hull is often associated with campaigns to eradicate social injustice and racial discrimination. It is inspiring that some of our undergraduates engaged with the theme of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day in such a positive way.

“It is vital that young people stand up against campus-based prejudice and human rights violations that blight the lives of millions of people around the world today.”

Second year history undergraduate James Selway, who organised the group, was so concerned about contemporary genocide that he wrote to 10 Downing Street urging Prime Minister David Cameron to speak out about the issue. His response arrived shortly before Christmas.

He said: ‘History has often been described as cyclical and where genocide is concerned this means atrocity following atrocity. If we ever want to break such a cycle then it is imperative we intervene and learn from the past if as a people we are ever to progress.

“It has been great to be given an opportunity to do exactly this, and with the combined support from Downing Street, hopefully society will know that someone has stood up and spoken out.”

The Lord Mayor of Hull, Coun Colin Inglis, said, “It is vital that we honour those affected by the Holocaust or who have survived genocide or persecution across the world.

“By listening to people’s experiences we can learn from them and help to create a safer, better future.”