The Alleynian 710 Summer 2022

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THE ALLEYNIAN 710

Echo Eternal

LOWER SCHOOL PUPILS’ PARTICIPATION IN A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT MARKING HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY WAS MEMORABLE AND MOVING, SAY CATHERINE IBBOTSON AND CAITLIN KELLY

In the Lent term, pupils from Year 7 and Year 8 travelled to Birmingham to take part in the Echo Eternal Horizons Festival 2022. A commemorative arts engagement programme, CORE Education Trust’s Echo Eternal is inspired by Holocaust survivor testimonies, working to promote respect and understanding between different communities. Our pupils collaborated with students from LIPA, CORE Education Trust and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, to put together an incredibly moving and thought-provoking performance based on these testimonies, as a way to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. Rehearsals were intensive, but pupils also had the opportunity to join a webinar with Holocaust survivor Peter Lantos, whose heart-wrenching story prompted some insightful questions. A theatre trip to see Robert Icke’s production of Animal Farm at Birmingham Rep also gave staff and pupils alike plenty to talk about. Finally, after a busy few days, show day arrived and the boys were ready and raring to go: they gave a beautiful performance of their music and dance piece, Weep No More , showing off their singing and dancing talent, as well as collaborating on the group performances, demonstrating professionalism and sensitivity throughout. It was a pleasure to take them away on the trip, and it was clear that they gained a great deal from the whole experience, as these reports by a Year 7 and a Year 8 pupil show.

ECHO ETERNAL IS INSPIRED BY HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR TESTIMONIES, WORKING TO PROMOTE RESPECT AND UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES

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