#5YPRI – Connecting Communities of Remembrance

[Translate to Englisch:] Jubiläumsveranstaltung

Together with around 80 participants from 16 countries, the EVZ Foundation celebrated the fifth anniversary of YOUNG PEOPLE remember international in Berlin on 25 and 26 September 2025.
As part of the funding program implemented by the EVZ Foundation and financed by the Federal Foreign Office, young people from all over Europe engage with the history of National Socialism – critically, actively and across (national) borders.

The two-day event, themed #5YPRI – Connecting Communities of Remembrance, explored European perspectives on remembrance culture and learning at sites of Nazi persecution. It also addressed the question of how remembrance can be conceived and shaped across borders in today's digital space. Through presentations, discussion panels, and excursions to memorial sites in Berlin and Brandenburg, the project organisers showcased innovative formats, digital products, and educational offerings that have emerged in recent years, as well as how these encourage young people to advocate for democracy and human rights.

[Translate to Englisch:] Highlights

Photo Competition „Traces of Memory“Photo Competition „Traces of Memory“

A particular highlight was the awards ceremony for the finalists of the photo competition 'Traces of Memory'. Participants from various projects were invited to submit photographs that documented their personal engagement with history. The finalists presented their entries, which were deeply moving due to the depth of their insights and the diversity of their perspectives. They shared what motivated them to take part in the competition and what their research entailed.

Discover the top ten photos and the moving stories behind them

[Translate to Englisch:] Panel Diskussion „Who can beat TikTok? Digital Space vs. Civic Education?"

  1. Gina Wiedemann

    “What I find missing in the discussion around remembrance culture is a spark of activism. We tend to talk about it in a very academic way, since it largely stems from the academic world. But there are so many young and passionate people involved, and I don’t think you need a research or academic background to volunteer or engage in remembrance work.”

  2. Anna Lenchovska

    "I believe that trust is something that needs to be rebuilt and renewed – both in our war-affected society and internationally, across Europe. Politicians and civil society must work more closely together to develop new rules for dealing with the challenges and opportunities of the digital world – especially with regard to freedom of expression. Some states deliberately use censorship to restrict freedoms and construct an alternative reality."

  3. Pawel Sawicki

    “We need to build networks, and learn from one another to find new ways of reaching people with our message. But at the same time, we must be careful not to instrumentalise or distort the memory. The story of the Holocaust and the atrocities committed eighty years ago is complex and deeply nuanced.”
     

Auschwitz Memorial

Highlights