Seventy-five years after the publication of The Diary of Anne Frank, historians, educators, human rights activists, and readers of all ages and nationalities continue to find beauty, humor, tragedy, and hope in the words of a young girl whose life ended in a Nazi death camp as WWII drew to a close. WorldCanvass will kick off the 2022 University of Iowa Provost’s Global Forum “Teaching Anne Frank” on February 28, from 5:30-7 p.m., with an expert panel discussing Anne’s life before and during captivity, the experience of the Jewish community living in The Netherlands under Nazi occupation, the impact her private diary has had on subsequent generations, and her place in both public history and the struggle for human rights. This event will be held at MERGE, 136 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City, and members of the public are welcome to attend in person or join the event on Zoom or Facebook Live.
The Provost’s Global Forum, sponsored by International Programs with major funding from the Stanley-UI Foundation Support Organization, is the premier annual event on campus focused on international and global issues. In addition to WorldCanvass, the 2022 Forum “Teaching Anne Frank” (February 28-March 2) features a series of public events including panel discussions, a film screening, an exhibit called “Let Me Be Myself: The Life Story of Anne Frank” at the UI Pentacrest Museums, and the Joel Barkan Memorial Lecture given by the director of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam.
Teaching Anne Frank
5:30-6:00 p.m.
Anne Frank and public history
Ronald Leopold—director, Anne Frank House, Amsterdam
Doyle Stevick—executive director, Anne Frank Center, University of South Carolina
Kirsten Kumpf Baele—lecturer and outreach coordinator, Department of German, University of Iowa
6:00-6:30 p.m.
Teaching Anne Frank
Elizabeth Heineman—professor, Departments of History and Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies, University of Iowa
Maia Sheppard—assistant professor, College of Education, University of Iowa
Anna Ellis—student, BA English/creative writing major, German and translation minors (expected May ’22), University of Iowa
6:30-7:00 p.m.
Anne Frank in history and human rights issues today
Esther Hugenholt—rabbi, Agudas Achim Congregation, Iowa City
Stephanie Moris—director, Refugee Alliance of Central Iowa
Wilhelm Schwendemann—dean and professor, Department of Theological Education and Diaconal Studies, EH University, Freiburg, and director, FIM-Freiburg Institute of Human Rights Pedagogy
The University of Iowa encourages the use of face masks and social distancing while on campus.
Following the live event, the video recording of WorldCanvass will be available on the International Programs website and on YouTube. In addition, audio podcasts of all WorldCanvass programs can be found on iTunes and the Public Radio Exchange (PRX). University of Iowa International Programs produces the series in partnership with MERGE, 136 South Dubuque Street. Audio production is provided by Kyle Marxen.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Amy Green in advance at amy-green-1@uiowa.edu or 319-335-1433.