The Tayar Foundation for Jewish Heritage in Malta, in collaboration with the Anne Frank House (Amsterdam), brings world-famous exhibition to Malta.
The long-awaited “Let Me Be Myself”: The Life Story of Anne Frank exhibition opened on Thursday, 24 February 2022 in front of local dignitaries and special guests at the University of Malta, Valletta Campus. The private opening event included speeches by Julius Nehorai (Chairman of the Tayar Foundation for Jewish Heritage in Malta), Dr Isabelle Sammut (human rights lawyer), and on behalf of Hons. Minister Evarist Bartolo, Dr Corinne Casha (Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs). Israeli Ambassador to Malta, Eyal Sela, and Ambassador Frank Keurhorst, from the Embassy of the Netherlands in Malta, also attended the opening. The event was coordinated and managed by Dr Sarah Azzopardi-Ljubibratic, a founding member and executive secretary of the Foundation.
The unique exhibition designed for the Maltese islands is now open to the public: at MCAST, Paola (till 18 April 2022); at Fort St Elmo, Valletta (20 April–1 June 2022); and at Il-Ħaġar Museum, Gozo (19 June–25 July 2022). The Foundation has also created a highly immersive digital experience available to thousands of local school children remotely.
The carefully curated “Let Me Be Myself” exhibition tells the story of Anne Frank and the Holocaust, challenging visitors to reflect on subjects such as identity, prejudice, and discrimination. The young girl famously touched the hearts of millions by recounting in her diary how her Jewish family moved from Germany to Amsterdam in 1933, the year the Nazis came to power in Germany. When WWII broke out, the Frank family was trapped in Amsterdam by the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands.
Large pictures show Anne’s happy early childhood in Frankfurt followed by her immigration to Amsterdam, while several parts of the exhibition show not only images of the house in which the Frank family hid for more than two years, but also photographs and texts concerning the world at the time: the Netherlands under Nazi occupation, deportations, and the concentration camps. With its thirty-four detailed panels, Anne’s story further comes to life through artefacts, videos, and a model of the house. In addition, visitors can view a facsimile of her diary that culminated in what has become one of the most famous and well-read books ever.
The exhibition, which is free of charge, is sponsored by Remax Crown, Commonwealth Jewish Council, Melita Foundation, Lombard Bank, Summit Furniture, The Alfred Mizzi Foundation, Marks & Spencers, the Ministry for Education and Sport, the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs, along with several other partners.
The Tayar Foundation aims to safeguard Jewish heritage in the Maltese Islands, raising awareness about the communities that lived in the archipelago, and promoting the knowledge of Jewish history as a whole. The Foundation is also undertaking the renovation and management of the three historic Jewish cemeteries in Malta at Kalkara, Tà Braxia, and Marsa. Dr Dennis Mizzi (Department of Oriental Studies, University of Malta) is a founding member. For more information visit: www.jewishheritagemalta.org.