New Zealand’s leading organisation for Holocaust education and remembrance yesterday elected its Board to spearhead the burgeoning number of projects it has on offer.

New to the Board of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand is Chair, Human Rights Review Tribunal panellist and former executive director of the Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand, Deborah Hart.

Former Board member Miriam Bookman takes up the Deputy Chair position.

Augmenting the Board are new Board members Penelope Thompson and Rivkah Nathan-Rosenbaum, together with existing Board members Jeremy Smith, Dianne Davis, Justin Thompson, Giacomo Lichtner and Marlene Levine.

Ms Hart says: “With the global rise in racism and intolerance, there has never been a more important time to teach respect and understanding. The Holocaust Centre is dedicated to this task through the lessons of where antisemitism and racism leads.”

The Centre’s activities span teaching, research, publishing, archiving, public commemorations and events, and recording and sharing survivor testimonies.

The Centre is active in student/teacher education and human rights – challenging discrimination and prejudice and encouraging diversity and inclusiveness in a modern democracy.