New Perth Holocaust Education Centre opens

A new Holocaust Education Centre opened in Perth on Thursday night, delivering on a $1.8 million WA government election commitment.

The centre, at the JHub Maccabi Community Centre in Yokine, was developed by the Holocaust Institute of Western Australia and will deliver education programs for students, educators and the broader community.

The state funding supported the internal fit-out of the museum space, including exhibition construction, art installations, lighting and graphics. The centre combines exhibition spaces, multimedia displays and survivor testimonies, and presents the Holocaust as a case study in human behaviour, encouraging visitors to examine ethical decision-making and moral courage.

Premier Roger Cook said the centre would ensure Western Australians could learn about one of the darkest chapters in recent history and reflect on the lessons it held. “Educating future generations will help ensure the horrors of the Holocaust are never forgotten and never repeated,” Cook said.

Multicultural interests minister Jessica Stojkovski said the centre would play a vital role in ensuring current and future generations understood the devastating consequences of hatred, prejudice and discrimination. “There is no place in our society for antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism or any form of hatred,” she said.