On Oct. 27 SUNY Buffalo State’s Anne Frank Project held its second annual Youth Day in Campbell Student Union’s social hall. The Anne Frank Project welcomed students from grades 6-12 from local schools, including Hutchinson Central Technical High School, Kadimah Jewish Day School, City Honors School and Springville.

“We are a social justice organization using the wisdom of Anne Frank to activate the unity process,” said Eve Everette, assistant director of the Anne Frank Project. “We use theatre as a vehicle to teach community building, conflicts and how to reach a resolution.”

Since 2009, the Anne Frank Project has worked together to educate people about genocide, racism, peace and tolerance. The project began after Buffalo State did a performance of The Diary of Anne Frank, which explored Anne Frank’s life and the holocaust, and the life of a “second Anne Frank,” a Tutsi girl during the Rwandan genocide.

“We try to emphasize different story platforms to continue to tell stories of the oppressed and to teach young people to tell their stories,” Everette said.

The students who participated in the event did warm-up activities to get to know each other, watched a moving picture show by Michelle Costa, took part in a spoken word workshop and listened to holocaust survivor Sophia Veffer tell her story.

“We like to have a holocaust survivor to come each time,” Everette said. “The best story tellers are the ones who were there.”

Others have described Veffer’s story as being similar to Anne Franks’.

“My story is similar,” Veffer told the crowd. “We were the same age and came from the same background.”

Veffer was originally from Amsterdam and went into hiding from the Nazis in 1942. “The holocaust is not a unique experience,” she said, “there is still discrimination, there is still genocide. We have to talk about it, and learn how to prevent genocide.”

Veffer focused on the importance of the kids not being bystanders, and to speak up. “Bystanders are the most dangerous group of people,” Veffer said. “It makes you a better person if you have the guts to speak out.

“Rosa Parks ignited a movement after sharing her story. Even if you think no one will listen you still need to tell your story.”

The students who attended described the event as being “inspirational” and “touching.”

“I felt touched,” said a sixth grade student from Kadimah. “I feel thankful for what I have now.”

“It’s important to learn about this history,” said an eighth grade student from Springville. “History can repeat itself.”

More information about Buffalo State’s Anne Frank Project can be found at http://annefrankproject.buffalostate.edu/.

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