On December 5-7, 2019, the second biennial edition of the National Higher Education Leadership Consortium of Directors of Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Centers was held at the University of Nebraska – Omaha and organized by the University’s Sam and Frances Fried Holocaust and Genocide Academy and Leonard and Shirley Goldstein Center for Human Rights. The event welcomed the participation of representatives from a diverse range of academic centers around the United States that are dedicated to advancing public and scholarly research and education on the Holocaust, genocide and human rights.
The multi-day event was comprised primarily of committee meetings and moderated discussions on topics that are relevant to work on human rights and genocide prevention in an educational setting. Following an opening reception on the evening of December 5, the program began on the following morning with segments on fundraising and grant writing, communications and public relations, working within divisive social and political climates, outreach, leading discourse on difficult topics, and technology. The first working day also featured Dr. Waller’s keynote address, entitled “Confronting Evil: Engaging Our Responsibilities for Human Rights and Genocide Prevention.” The second day included discussions which covered participants’ experiences related to working as a staff of one and coordinating the projects and priorities of an academic center working on human rights and genocide prevention issues and a series of final remarks to conclude the event.
The National Higher Education Leadership Consortium provides a formal network of diverse academic centers dedicated to advancing public and scholarly research and education on the Holocaust, genocide and human rights. The Consortium works to secure these academic centers as vibrant educational and research programs, to integrate the subject areas across disciplines in curricular and degree programs, and to support students and faculties who seek professional opportunities on and off campus as educators and activists on these issues. For more information on the Consortium please click here.