On 16th May 2021 at 1pm, street artist, Kaff-eine will work with up to 40 high school students from various cultural groups to paint a mural on a street-facing wall at 328 Glen Eira Rd, Caulfield.
Themed Remembering the Past, the project will teach young people about the Holocaust and other genocides, including the genocide of Indigenous Australians, in order to foster tolerance, understanding and inclusiveness.
Earlier in the day students will take part in an educational workshop to explore the evolution of racial and ethnic intolerance that can lead to genocide. A team of carefully chosen youth leaders will engage in pre-planned activities to promote and emphasise the theme of the event.
The project is an initiative of Gen2Gen, a not for profit educational organisation committed to teaching youth about acceptance, tolerance and the recognition of all people and Courage to Care, a not for profit that informs and educates Australians about the dangers of prejudice, racism and discrimination. Gandel Foundation, a long-term partner of Courage to Care, also joined forces to support this initiative, which helps foster community harmony.
Organisers Elana Lewin, Lani Brayer and Sharon Stone, together with their team from Gen2Gen have been planning this project for many months.
“To select the participating students, we reached out to our contacts in the different communities and we have been overwhelmed by the wonderful response and support,” said Lani Brayer.
“Bringing young students together from different backgrounds to learn first-hand about each other is a first step to breaking down barriers and prejudice that will lead to understanding and tolerance. It is hoped that these student community ambassadors will share their experience and learnings with their peers.”
Gen2Gen promotes the message that, as Australians, we must speak out against inequity. No-one, especially young people, should feel any less about themselves or others, or be disadvantaged because of their race, religion, identity or postcode.
The values emphasised by Gen2Gen are reflected in the school program run by Courage to Care which informs and educates Victorian secondary school students about the dangers of prejudice, racism and discrimination. It also empowers young people to challenge and speak out against such unacceptable human traits.
In 2017-2018, complaints of racism to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission rose by nearly 90 per cent. In the same period, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry reported a 60 per cent increase in anti-Semitic incidents in Australia, with almost 30 per cent of these incidents occurring in Victoria. Consistent with this, the Islamophobia register continues to receive disturbing reports of abuse against Muslims, particularly women, and it is likely that there continues to significant under-reporting.
In the art world, Kaff-eine is known for collaborating with communities around the world to create unique contemporary art projects that challenge the viewer to respond to social issues.
To make this project affordable for participants, the initiative is being supported by several philanthropic organisations, including Gandel Foundation who has a strong commitment to Holocaust Education and jumped at the opportunity to be involved.
About Gen to Gen
Gen2Gen is a non-profit educational initiative developed to highlight awareness of the injustices imposed on victims of genocide, racial intolerance and discrimination. Through educational programs Gen2Gen aims to remember the past and teach future generations about the importance of awareness, tolerance and prevention.
About Courage to Care
Courage to Care is a volunteer-led not-for-profit charity that informs and educates Australians about the dangers of prejudice, racism and discrimination and empowers them to challenge and speak out against such unacceptable human traits. This is done mostly through their interactive schools program. Courage to Care delivers a range of programs across Victoria to transform bystanders into “upstanders”.
For more information
If you would like more information or a media interview, please contact Lani Brayer, Ph: 0400 600 693 or e-mail: gen2genproject@gmail.com