Human rights exhibition
The Sydney Jewish Museum’s new Holocaust and Human Rights Exhibition has been opened by Edward Santow, Human Rights Commissioner.
This exhibition is one of the first permanent Human Rights Exhibitions to open in any museum in Australia.
The new Holocaust and Human Rights Exhibition contains three main areas:
1. A timeline of major human rights developments and violations including two multimedia displays which show the evolution of international human rights law and continuing instances of genocide and mass atrocities in the 20th and 21st centuries. A dedicated section explores human rights developments in Australian history.
Museum president Gus Lehrer and Edward Santow
2. Coming to the Table focuses on human rights achievements and challenges in the Australian context. Four multimedia table top installations each explore a human rights theme from a variety of perspectives. Themes include Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples, People with Disabilities, Asylum Seekers and Refugees and LGBTIQ Rights.
3. The final part of the exhibition is a questioning and interactive space that allows visitors to reflect and write down their thoughts and answers to questions such as: What do human rights mean to you? What can you do to promote human rights? What questions are you left asking?
Dr Avril Alba, CEO Norman Seligman and Edward Santow
Norman Seligman, CEO of the Sydney Jewish Museum says; “After three years of research and development, we are proud to announce the official opening of the dynamic new Holocaust and Human Rights Exhibition. This exhibition will encourage thought and reflection as well as providing an opportunity to pose questions.
Dr Avril Alba, Project Director, (assisted by A/Prof Barrett and Prof Dirk Moses) from the University of Sydney says, “The extent of Nazi crimes shocked member states of the United Nations (UN) and in December 1948, the UN General Assembly passed the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. However, there were limitations to both the Convention and Declaration as they omitted minority and indigenous rights (among others) and neither were able to seriously inhibit state sovereignty. However, they were and remain important statements of principle. Since their passing at the UN, human rights violations and genocide have continued to mark global society.”
The Sydney Jewish Museum invites the public to visit the museum and join the debate and ‘come to the table ’and reflect on human right issues facing Australians today.
All Photos: Nadine Saacks
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