Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre

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The Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre, (MHMC)is unwavering in its commitment to Holocaust education and awareness. It was founded in 1979 by a group of survivors of the Holocaust and facilitated by the philanthropy of Steven Cummings. The Centre's mandate is to educate people of all ages and backgrounds about the genocidal murder of six million Jews by Nazi Germany and its collaborators between 1933-1945.

By raising Holocaust awareness the MHMC aims to alert the public to the dangers and destructive powers of antisemitism, bigotry and hate, while promoting respect for diversity and the sanctity of all human life.

In July 2003, the MHMC inaugurated the first world-class Holocaust museum in Canada. What makes the Museum unique is its connection to Montreal, a city that is home to the third largest Holocaust survivor population in the world. The museum tells the story of the Shoah through the eyes, the voices and the possessions of those few who survived the horrors of the Holocaust, and who made a new home in Montreal.

The Montreal Holocaust Museum features over 418 original artefacts, 372 photographs, and 20 films. An indictment against indifference, the Museum encourages visitors to take ownership of the absolute responsibility to fight intolerance in all its forms.

In addition to attracting over 15,000 people a year to its museum, the MHMC offers a variety of educational and commemorative programs that aim to educate and inspire the public about moral responsibility and human rights. Programs include the annual Holocaust Education Series, the Witness to History Program, the Holocaust Survivor's Speakers Committee, the Bar and Bat Mitzvah of Remembrance Program, and annual Yom Hashoah and Kristallnacht Commemorations.

The MHMC is a constituent agency of FEDERATION CJA.

The Austrian Holocaust Memorial Service has supported the MHMC since 1998 by sending Gedenkdiener – interns from Austria.

The Gedenkdiener - interns have worked out a specifical area of activity for themselves in the past years and are now an important part of the team of the MHMC.