For Immediate Release – February 14, 2024
Courage to Remember Exhibit in Mattoon
Courage to Remember, a traveling exhibit about the Holocaust, will be displayed at the Cross County Mall in Mattoon from Monday, March 4, to Friday, March 29.
The exhibit, which consists of a series of large panels with illustrations and text, has traveled to more than 50 countries and seen by more than 20 million visitors. It presents information about the Holocaust in chronological order and includes first-person accounts, historical photos, and maps.
According to the Simon Wiesenthal Museum of Tolerance, which created the exhibit, “This exhibit hopes to inspire young and old alike to explore history, combat bigotry, and fight for injustice.”
“We’re thrilled and honored to have it here,” stated Stephanie Rienbolt, Cross County Mall Event Coordinator.
“We’re always interested in having something going on,” she added, “and anything to promote history is good.”
The exhibit will be in the same location as the recent veterans exhibit – on the north side of the main hall next to Glik’s.
“We are very excited that the Cross County Mall is hosting this exhibit,” said Dr. Brian Kahn, a co-director of the Holocaust Education Center of the Champaign-Urbana Jewish Federation, the exhibit’s sponsor.
“Holocaust survivor Dr. William Gingold brought this exhibit to our area, and it is an excellent educational tool for teaching the Holocaust,” he added.
“It is a powerful exhibit and incredibly well done,” noted Rebecca Lawson, an HEC co-director. “
“Getting to a major Holocaust museum is not easy for most people in our area,” she added, “and this exhibit will give people a similar experience on a smaller scale without having to travel very far.”
The exhibit is free and open to the public from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday. School tours for grades 5 to 12 may be arranged, and those interested in viewing the exhibit with a volunteer guide may contact the HEC to see when they are available. Anyone with questions about the exhibit should email HEC@CUJF.org or call 217-369-5039.
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