Future Needs Remembrance.
Together for Leverkusen.

The project included two large exhibitions and a diverse supporting program. The exhibition “Lest forget” by Luigi Toscano presented 200 portraits of Holocaust survivors, which were on display both at the Leverkusen Forum and in front of the Bayer corporate headquarters. These impressive photographs enabled visitors to connect personally with the stories of the survivors and created a space for reflection and remembrance. A total of around 3,500 people visited this exhibition. 

The second exhibition, “Your Anne. A Girl Writes History,” was shown at the Erholungshaus. The traveling exhibition is targeted at young people and focuses on the life story of Anne Frank, drawing parallels to the present day. In collaboration with the Anne Frank Center Berlin, 18 young people were trained as peer guides who accompanied a total of 23 school classes through the exhibition. These guides created a platform for exchange and discussion about the relevance of Anne Frank's experiences in today's world. 

On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe and due to the rise in anti-Semitic incidents, Leverkusen's civil society was invited to actively engage with history and promote dialogue on current social issues. The formed group of around 20 organizations and groups created 35 accompanying events to the exhibitions at various locations in Leverkusen, where people could come together. These encounters not only promoted mutual understanding, but also strengthened awareness of the importance of remembrance in Leverkusen.