On May 21, 2024, Terraforming had the honor of exhibiting and presenting its work at the British Parliament, following an invitation from Andrew Percy, a member of the Conservative Party in the House of Commons. The exhibition “A Backpack Full of Memories: Innovative Teaching and Learning in Serbia about the Holocaust and Contemporary Antisemitism” was well-received, with a notable presence of relevant representatives from both houses, parliamentary committees, and British IHRA delegates.
Andrew Percy MP, speaking at the opening of the event.
A notable presence of relevant representatives from both houses
The event took place in the British Parliament, in Portcullis House, on May 21. The presentation and exhibition focused on education about antisemitism and the Holocaust, specifically highlighting Terraforming’s work in this area, particularly our educational graphic novels.
The initiative for the event came from the British Parliament in the form of an invitation from Andrew Percy, a member of the Conservative Party in the House of Commons. This invitation was extended following MP Percy’s visit to Novi Sad at the invitation of Terraforming and his participation in an event commemorating the 80th anniversary of the deportation of Jews from Novi Sad to the death camps.
The presentation in the British Parliament was well-received, with a notable presence of relevant representatives from both houses, parliamentary committees, and British IHRA delegates, among others. The delegation from Terraforming in London included Misko Stanišić, director and member of the delegation of the Republic of Serbia in the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance IHRA, and Nevena Bajalica, program manager and also a member of the Serbian IHRA delegation.
Lord Pickles, Chair of the UK IHRA Presidency
Banners, publications, and a digital presentation
For the exhibition and presentation, Terraforming prepared four banners, publications, and a digital presentation, all aimed at presenting the specifics of the Holocaust in Serbia and the educational methodology “Ester,” which utilizes the storytelling language of graphic novels as a learning tool about the Holocaust.
Publications in English included an expanded version of “Some words about the Holocaust in Serbia,” accompanied by photographic material. Terraforming also provided a printed example and an explanation of how their graphic novels about the Holocaust could be used in education.
Additionally, Terraforming brought several copies of older publications, such as the “International Library Platform for Education about the Holocaust,” – a project for which they received the Yehuda Bauer Grant award from the IHRA.
The digital presentation on a large screen next to the exhibition panels covered three topics: the Holocaust in Serbia and its characteristics, Terraforming’s pedagogical methodology “Ester,” and the educational graphic novel “Backpack Full of Memories,” a project supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia.
The event was attended by several members of the British Parliament, the British IHRA delegation, as well as other officials and guests, including Vesna Verčon Ivić, consul at the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in London, and Andrew Percy, MP, the program host. Other notable attendees included Dame Jackie Doyle-Price, The Lord Mann, The Rt Hon. the Lord Pickles, and The Rt Hon. the Lord Randall of Uxbridge.
Lord Randall of Uxbridge, Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Serbia, and Nevena Bajalica, Terraforming
Speeches at the beginning of the program
During the program, relevant members of both houses of the British Parliament addressed the audience. Here are parts of the speeches taken from videos recorded during the program:
Andrew Percy, MP (the host):
(excerpt)
“I recently visited Serbia for the first time after the invitation of Terraforming, the brilliant organization from Novi Sad that works on antisemitism and Holocaust education. While we were there, we also went to the event to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the day of the deportation of the Jews from Novi Sad, a very moving event. What was very interesting for me, someone who used to teach the Holocaust here in the UK in secondary schools was the story of the Holocaust in Serbia, which is so complex in terms of various occupying powers. In the UK, we teach the Holocaust through the prism of Auschwitz, the story of Anne Frank, and we know this, but it is so interesting to learn the new dimension of the Holocaust. This brings the question of how we should teach the Holocaust in the future. For me, it is a reminder that there is much more to be told and taught about this issue. So, I will show several examples of these graphic novels in local schools, and I invite you all to take the publications that Terraforming has brought here.”
Ruth-Anne Lenga, Deputy Head of the UK Delegation to IHRA:
(excerpt)
“Terraforming is a leading organization recognized across the world for its remarkable achievements in delivering first-class programs that empower educators to promote understanding of the Holocaust and its significance today. Located in Novi Sad in Serbia, it punches well beyond its weight in terms of impact and influence. It’s a leading advocate for inculcating a culture of Holocaust remembrance locally, nationally, and internationally. It is a powerful voice for identifying and preserving related sites that are in danger of being overlooked, forgotten, or destroyed. It also does outstanding educational work in challenging those who seek to distort or manipulate this history or are intent on spreading hate, and it stands in solidarity with the Jewish community against contemporary antisemitism. It is particularly important that this event takes place during the UK IHRA presidency. I hope many more will be able to see this important exhibition, maybe in the Embassy of Serbia or other UK institutions.”
Dame Jackie Doyle-Price, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Serbia
Lord Pickles, IHRA Chair of the UK IHRA Presidency:
(excerpt)
“As far as the UK is concerned, Serbia is a part of the world that has been neglected in the UK when it comes to the wider discussion about the Holocaust. Certainly, with the Croatian presidency, we have taken a big step forward in understanding the region better. Now, we could not have a better ambassador than Misko Stanisic, who stands out in the crowd in terms of bringing the message across about Serbia. It has been important, and I do hope that each of our Embassies will hold an event, and that event, whatever it is, should include this wonderful exhibition. We will certainly talk about the ways in which we might be able to showcase this exhibition in London during the Plenary. Thank you very much to everybody for attending. This is a significant event, particularly because sometimes we forget how the Holocaust can be displayed and understood, and we talk about the colorization of the Holocaust in film and graphic novels. Here, we see a very interesting way of using graphic novels. We need new and innovative ways of getting across that message.”
Dame Jackie Doyle-Price, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Serbia:
(excerpt)
“We are always pleased to welcome visitors from Serbia to the UK Parliament. I really welcome this initiative to have an exhibition on the Holocaust in Serbia, which will make people think, and I know people are interested in getting to see it. Also, getting to meet you is important. I was very pleased to hear what Misko Stanisic just said – inviting MPs to come to visit Serbia; it is a great place to visit, and what is important in this context is you can see the history of the 20th century in the streets of Belgrade when you walk around. And you are challenged by the importance of really tackling the Holocaust and its aftermath. There is a generality of war that we still need to remind us of, and the horrors of the Holocaust. The fact that we can come to the other side and be friends is an essential message that you remind us of. We are your friends, and we will always be your friends, and we are very keen to foster this friendship, so thank you very much.”
Misko Stanisic
(complete speech)
Honorable Members of Parliament, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, dear colleagues and friends,
My name is Misko Stanisic, and I am the director of Terraforming, a civil society initiative from Novi Sad, Serbia. I am here with my wife, work partner, and co-founder of Terraforming, Nevena Bajalica. We are both members of the Serbian delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance IHRA.
I am deeply honored to stand before you today to tell you more about this small exhibition on the Holocaust in Serbia and the work of our organization, Terraforming.
First and foremost, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Andrew Percy, MP, for arranging and hosting this event and for the invitation that comes just about one month after our meeting and exchange in Novi Sad, Serbia, when Andrew participated in one of the events we organized to mark 80 years of deportation of the Jews to death camps in 1944. Thank you very much for this opportunity.
I also wish to express my sincere gratitude to the Embassy of Serbia in London for their support.
A special thanks to Ruth-Anne Lenga from the UCL Center for Holocaust Education for her continuous support, a wonderful foreword in our publication, and our professional exchange, cooperation, and friendship.
I am grateful to all the present Members of Parliament and distinguished guests for taking the time to join us today. Your presence underscores the importance of remembering and educating about the Holocaust but also learning from the past to counter contemporary antisemitism.
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) has been crucial in guiding Terraforming’s work in Serbia and internationally. Our efforts are deeply informed by IHRA’s recommendations, tools, and definitions. IHRA is also essential for our efforts to debunk and counter Holocaust distortion and abuse of history for nationalist propaganda.
The Holocaust in Serbia is a chapter of history that is not widely known outside Southeast Europe. The Holocaust in Serbia occurred in the context of strong resistance, a complex civil war, and ethnic violence, with several unique aspects, such as multiple occupying forces and policies, multiple perpetrators and victim groups, and massive Jewish participation in the resistance.
Learning more about the Holocaust in Serbia and former Yugoslavia is actually essential for better understanding the broader context of this continent-wide genocide. I invite you all to grab a copy of this booklet. Do not hesitate to contact us to learn more. I hereby invite you all to visit us in Serbia, where we would love to show you some of the very important but not well-known authentic Holocaust sites and to introduce you to past and present Jewish life.
In the wake of the tragic events of October 7 and the rising tide of antisemitism worldwide, including in Serbia, our work on addressing and combating antisemitism has become even more critical, taking center stage in our mission.
I am proud to introduce ESTER, the flagship of our pedagogical work. ESTER is a unique approach to teaching and learning about the Holocaust through graphic novels. It is based on a multilayered storytelling technique that combines archival records, testimonies, historical photographs, newspapers, multimedia elements, maps, timelines, illustrations, and a dramatized narrative based on actual events and real people. ESTER also includes investigative tasks for students and teachers, providing a comprehensive educational experience that engages with history in an appealing and exciting way for young people. This includes engaging with authentic sites and locations.
Please do not hesitate to approach Nevena and me, take the publications, and ask anything. Thank you all for your attention and support.
Attendees
Among attendees at the event, there were:
- Andrew Percy, MP: Organizer of the program, Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Antisemitism,
- Vesna Verčon Ivić: Consul, Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in London,
- Dame Jackie Doyle-Price, House of Lords: Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Serbia, Former Minister of State,
- The Rt Hon. Lord Mann, House of Lords: Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Antisemitism,
- The Rt Hon. Lord Pickles, House of Lords: UK Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust issues, IHRA Chair of the United Kingdom IHRA Presidency, Former Minister for Faith,
- The Rt Hon. Lord Randall of Uxbridge, House of Lords: Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Serbia,
- Holly Mumby-Croft, MP
- Christian Wakeford, MP: Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Israel,
- Antony Higginbotham, MP
- Alex Davies-Jones, MP: Officer for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on War Crimes
- Stephen Delaney: Officer for post-Holocaust issues at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in London,
- Ruth-Anne Lenga: Deputy Head of the UK Delegation to IHRA, Professor at the UCL Centre for Holocaust Education,
- Alex Maws: Head of Education and Heritage at the Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR), Member of the UK Delegation to IHRA,
- Dr Paula Cowan: Academic Advisory Board Member, National Holocaust Centre, Senior Lecturer at the University of the West of Scotland, Member of the UK Delegation to IHRA,
- Dr Victoria Grace Walden, Director of the Landecker Digital Memory Lab, Sussex Weidenfeld Institute of Jewish Studies
- Dr Kate Marrison, The Landecker Digital Memory Lab, Sussex Weidenfeld Institute of Jewish Studies
- Danny Stone MBE: Chief Executive, Antisemitism Policy Trust
- Davor Ljubanović: Chargé d’affaires at the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in London,
- Ivana Miloradović: Radio-Television Serbia RTS correspondent from London,
and other experts, scholars, practitioners, students, and other guests.
Ruth-Anne Lenga: Deputy Head of the UK Delegation to IHRA, Professor at the UCL Centre for Holocaust Education
Misko Stanisic was interviewed by Ivana Miloradović, the correspondent from London for the Radio-Television Serbia RTS
Meetings with representatives of parliamentary groups after the end of the program
After the official program ended, MP Andrew Percy kindly gave the guests from Terraforming a tour of the Parliament. Misko and Nevena were able to observe the work of the Upper House of Parliament and visit the chapel, the hall of the Lower House of Parliament, and other historically significant spaces of the British Parliament. They met with Lord John Mann, one of the leading authorities in the British Parliament in the fight against antisemitism and the culture of remembrance of the Holocaust, in the parliamentary club. Lord Mann expressed great interest in visiting Serbia and learning more about the work of Terraforming.
A tour of the British Parliament with MP Andrew Percy.
A heartfelt thank you to the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in London and Air Serbia.
