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A unique online visit to the Auschwitz Memorial for more than 200,000 Italian students
More than 200,000 students from over 10,000 Italian schools took part in a special, showcase online visit to the Auschwitz Memorial on 26 January. This was made possible thanks to the platform “Auschwitz. In Front of Your Eyes”.
The online visit is conducted live. While discussing the key aspects of the history of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz, the educator uses multimedia materials, archival photographs, works of art, documents, and testimonies of Survivors. Interaction with the guide and the opportunity to ask questions are also possible. All of this allows for a deeper understanding of history and its contexts, despite the lack of physical presence at the Memorial.
The development of the platform created for the Auschwitz Memorial is possible thanks to financial support from the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation, drawn from funds outside the main endowment allocated to preservation works.
“This event, involving many thousands of Italian students, is a breakthrough moment that demonstrates the power of modern education in the service of Memory. This scale was an exceptional gesture of solidarity linked to the commemoration of the 81st anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and required special technological solutions. However, the essence of the ‘Auschwitz. In Front of Your Eyes' platform remains focused on direct dialogue, enabling work in groups of up to 20 to 30 people. Only in such an intimate setting does each participant have the chance to speak, ask the guide questions, and fully engage with this difficult lesson of history,” said Wojciech Soczewica, Director General of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation.
“Trips to Auschwitz, which for years could only be taken by a small group of students, have now become a collective experience thanks to this technology. Today, this virtual tour has allowed us to reach approximately 200,000 students. I would like to thank the Italian Ministry of Education and Merit and the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum and Memorial for making it possible,” said Amedeo Spagnoletto, Director of the Museo Nazionale dell’Ebraismo Italiano e della Shoah in Ferrara.
The visit on 26 January had a showcase character. The video signal from the “Auschwitz. In Front of Your Eyes” platform was retransmitted via another application, as the system does not support such a large number of simultaneous connections. The special visit also included excerpts from testimonies given by three Italian Survivors of Auschwitz: Shlomo Venezia, Piero Terracina, and Settimia Spizzichino.
“I appeal to governments and institutions around the world to support this form of remote education in a systematic way. Thanks to the commitment of the Foundation’s donors, geographical and financial barriers are no longer an obstacle, but it is up to state decisions whether every student, regardless of where they live, will be given the chance to have this personal encounter with the history of Auschwitz. Memory is our shared responsibility, one that requires modern tools and courageous decisions to support educators,” emphasized Wojciech Soczewica.
In a video message directed to the students, Italian Minister of Education and Merit Giuseppe Valditara said: “One question moves me: How can we inhabit this place of remembrance? How can we be aware of it? It's not enough to travel and visit; we must be aware of it. The sounds, the signs, the paths of Auschwitz are important. For example, when I think of sounds, I think of what the deportees in the freight cars must have heard: the sounds of desperation. These 80 years have helped us to mature, they have made us realize that every human being has dignity, that every human being must never be labeled based on prejudice. This awareness is the greatest wealth these 80 years have given us. My true, sincere concern is that this awareness could be lost; it would be a second tragedy.”
“It is deeply moving for me to be here. Memory is responsibility. Today we share a European story. Our story,” said Noemi Di Segni, President of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities.
The online visit is intended for groups such as schools, universities, educational institutions, museums, and companies. A group may participate together using one screen in a larger room or individually, with each participant using their own device. The recommended minimum age for participants is 15.
Schools, institutions, or companies wishing to book online visits for a larger number of groups on different dates are asked to contact the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation individually to arrange the details at: .
