In early May 2023 one of the Gandel family grandsons, Steven Gandel, represented his family and the Gandel Foundation at the official opening of the Anne Frank exhibition at the Webb Library in the Blacktown City Council area in western Sydney.
Steven (pictured at the opening, second from left) was accompanied by his father Ian Gandel and they also had a chance to meet other dignitaries present such as Bert Bardoel, the President of the Anne Frank Exhibition Australia and the Consul General of the Kingdom of Netherlands to Australia, Hugo Klijn.
The Blacktown exhibition of the Anne Frank story marks the 10th year of the touring, with Gandel Foundation supporting it since inception. In that time, the exhibition was presented over 40 times in locations covering every Australian State and Territory, reaching approximately half a million visitors. Most of them have ben school-age students.
Steven in his speech that “Anne is not a symbol of suffering – she is a symbol of resilience and hope for all the people whose human rights are being eroded or violated, and a symbol of a belief in a better future… We hope that this exhibition will contribute towards people learning, and shaping a better world with their own actions.”
The Anne Frank Australia exhibitions will continue touring into 2024.
A poster from 2014, promoting the Anne Frank exhibition in Canberra, ACT.