On Monday evening, following the 86th anniversary of Kristallnacht, nine My Voice Holocaust Survivor Storytellers, their families, and the families of Storyteller Survivors who are no longer with us gathered alongside Manchester Metro Mayor Andy Burnham, John Rylands Library Director Professor Chris Pressler, Manchester University Vice Chancellor Duncan Ivison, Fed Honorary Patron Mark Adlestone OBE, My Voice project volunteers, educational partners, and colleagues from the Fed.
The event was held to announce the new educational partnership between My Voice and Manchester University, present additional My Voice books to the library, and celebrate the publication of the first 29 My Voice books in both paperback and eBook format by Manchester University Press.
Manchester Metro Mayor Andy Burnham praised both The Fed’s My Voice project and the John Rylands Library for their new partnership and emphasised what a huge contribution it would make to Holocaust education across the North West.
The audience heard from 100 year old Survivor Marianne Phillips who recounted our own experience of Kristallnacht and conveyed how much fulfilment she gets from telling her story and having her My Voice book used in schools across the North West to teach the Holocaust.
Raphi Bloom, The Fed’s Director of Fundraising and Marketing, recounted the emotional message of 96 year old Holocaust Survivor Ike Alterman BEM on why he continues to share his story as often as he can and emphasised that no one else is the UK is currently undertaking as much first person Holocaust testimony recording as My Voice.
Sarah Fern, the Head of History at Marple Hall High in Stockport, explained how she has re-written the Holocaust curriculum to integrate five of the My Voice Storybooks and the powerful impact it has had on hundreds of students.
Professor Chris Pressler spoke emotionally and eloquently about why this partnership means so much to him and how fitting it is that the My Voice project – which is about books – has found a partner in the John Rylands Library. These thoughts were echoed by Manchester University Vice Chancellor Duncan Ivison.
