University to partner with CANDLES museum on Holocaust education

Indiana State University and CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center are joining forces to educate current and future generations about the Holocaust, genocide and related issues.

\"Indiana State is pleased to be involved in a new partnership with CANDLES that will help sustain this important organization that serves as a unique educational and cultural resource for our community and beyond,\" university President Dan Bradley said Thursday at the Terre Haute museum founded by Holocaust survivor Eva Kor.

\"This partnership supports a number of our strategic goals and will provide great community service and experiential learning opportunities, including immersive travel experiences, for our students,\" Bradley said.

\"CANDLES is dedicated to shedding some light on the darkest chapter of the Holocaust - the chapter of the Mengele Twins,\" Kor said. \"By working together with Indiana States University, we will illuminate the world with education about human rights. Our partnership will promote peace in our community and beyond,\" Kor said.

CANDLES is the only organization in the world dedicated to the memory of the twin victims and survivors of medical experiments at Auschwitz.

A three-year partnership between Indiana State and CANDLES provides for:

- Development of curriculum focused on the Holocaust, genocide, human rights, bioethics as related to human medical experimentation, diversity and inclusion, healing from trauma and literature related to the Holocaust and genocide

- Pre-service and in-service teacher training on the Holocaust and genocide

- Original research and conferences about the Holocaust and related themes

- Regular programming such as film screenings and presentations by scholars, genocide survivors and human rights activists

- Online program allowing virtual visits to CANDLES and engagement with new curriculum

- Advocacy for meaningful inclusion of Holocaust and genocide education in K-16 curriculum

- Raising awareness and educating the university community and CANDLES constituents about genocide and human rights crises in the world today

- Education of community leaders, policy makers and others concerning the partnership\'s impact in promoting genocide awareness and prevention

- Collaboratively seek financial support for partnership programs

The partnership will allow Indiana State to strengthen its commitment to social justice and help students understand how their individual and collective actions can impact human rights, Bradley said.

\"The university is also eager to expand the partnership with CANDLES beyond the study of history into areas such as bioethics and other health care issues through our health and human services and genomics programs,\" he said. \"We look forward to working with CANDLES to continue to raise awareness about genocide and human rights crises both those in the past as well as ones occurring throughout the world today.\"

Indiana State and CANDLES representatives said students will benefit from the partnership via experiential learning, including internships, volunteerism, community service and employment opportunities while faculty will benefit by enhanced portfolios, new audiences for scholarship research and opportunities to serve the museum in leadership positions.

The partnership also calls for shared event space for film screenings, speakers and conferences as well as shared library resources, web space and technical support and co-marketing of events. The university will provide an office on its campus to administer the partnership.

Photo: http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/Other/Media-Services/Media-People/Eva-Kor/i-GBhsGwG/0/3X/July%2024%2C%202014%20Candles%201869-3X.jpg - Holocaust survivor and museum founder Eva Kor discusses her experiences with Indiana State University President Dan Bradley July 24, 2014 following the announcement of a partnership between the university and CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center that will help sustain the museum. (ISU/Rachel Keyes)

Photo: http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/Other/Media-Services/Media-People/Eva-Kor/i-sf4tVHq/0/3X/July%2024%2C%202014%20Candles%201889-3X.jpg - Holocaust survivor Eva Kor (right), founder of CANDLES Holocuast Museum and Education Center, joins Indiana State University president Dan Bradley in signing a three-year partnership to develop curriculum and conduct public awareness about the Holocaust, genocide, medical experiments on humans and related issues. At left is Nancy Rogers, the university\'s associate vice president for experiential learning and community engagement. (ISU/Rachel Keyes)

Media contacts: Kiel Majewski, executive director, CANDLES, 812-229-2316, or kiel@CandlesHolocaustMuseum.org or Dave Taylor, media relations director, Indiana State University, 812-237-3743 or dave.taylor@indstate.edu