A new French-language educational resource launched
Never Forget – N’oubliez jamais.
The French Ambassador to Australia, Pierre-André Imbert and Honorary Consul of France, Myriam Boisbouvier-Wylie attended the launch of a French educational resource: Never Forget – N’oubliez jamais at the ARK Centre on Wednesday 28, February.
Since November 2022, a team of volunteer teachers with extensive experience in curriculum design and teaching French to Year 9-12 students, worked on an educational kit based on the personal experience of a young survivor of the Holocaust in France.
By July 2023, a 20-minute documentary was made on the life of Esther Wise, who was a 15-year-old Jewish girl during World War Two and survived the Holocaust. After the war, Wise migrated to Melbourne where she still lives today at age 99. The last seven months have been devoted to creating comprehension and communicative activities based on her personal story as she relates it in the documentary.
Wise found restating her story an emotional experience, but her need to ensure today’s students know the truth, gave her the strength to share her story on video. Her friend Viv Parry, who is chairperson of the Child Survivors of the Holocaust Melbourne group, was instrumental in initiating the educational tool. Three Swinburne Film and TV students, Antione, Ben, and Guy were responsible for creating the video including WWII footage.
The year of the publication of this educational kit marks the centenary of Esther Wise and celebrates the courage and resilience demonstrated by this young girl. It is hoped that through her experience, students will never forget that despite different origins, beliefs, and values, as human beings they deserve and must cultivate respect, compassion, and tolerance.
To teach future generations about the Holocaust, the education kit was created by the Association of French Teachers in Victoria. The documentary video will be used in conjunction with a student workbook, scaffolded to be taught from years 9 – 12. An important and necessary reminder to all those studying French, learn from the past and never forget. French is the second top language taught in Australian schools.
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