Promotion of the book "Count the Stars" by Lois Laurie in Veles
In a pleasant atmosphere and with observance to the pandemic protocols, the plateau in front of the Art Salon in Veles was the venue for the promotional event of the novel "Number the Stars". The event was hosted by the "Goce Delchev" local library and the acting director Gordana Vaskovska greeted the audience and provided a brief overview of the novel. Zhaklina Mucheva from the Holocaust Fund of the Jews from Macedonia spoke about the author and the book, and Goran Sadikario - Executive Director of the Fund gave a presentation on the rescued Jewish children from Macedonia, who drew a parallel with the Annemarie story. This emotional and serious story told by a ten-year old child is a proof of the greatness of the war testimonies told by children, and of their courage and compassion. In the "Number the Stars" novel, children are not just war victims or witnesses, but they are reliable, persistent and responsible participants in the actions of adults. Through the narration of Annemarie Johansen, the reader travels through the duality of the events in Copenhagen in 1943: life - death, army - civilians, goodness - crime, friendship - enmity, hunger - satiety, war - peace and, finally, is the story true or it is product of imagination of the author Lois Laurie? Perhaps the reader will ask him/herself whether saving a single Jewish family equally means saving all the Jews in Denmark? And this is exactly how the historical truths will come through. The greatness of friendship, civic solidarity, sacrifice and courage of the common person will be known. The reader ends the story with a sense of humanity. He/she also realizes the greatness of the children's historical writing of the past. Excerpts from the book were read by Valeria and Anastasia Gjorgjievi, members of the “Kosta Solev Racin” Writers' Club from Veles, and the students from the "Stefan Gajdov" Primary Music School from Veles – Iva Babunovska and Julijana Ognjanova –gave a special lyric note to the promotion with their violins. The book is supplemented with questions for discussion and reflection, in hope that it will become a reference point or object of use in the educational process, given that the elementary education lacks literary works that address the Holocaust topic. This novel is a shining example from both literary and a didactic aspect and the outcomes of its use in schools would be positive and far-reaching. At the end of the promotion, the attendees had the opportunity to watch the promotional film on the Holocaust Memorial Center of the Jews from Macedonia with which this institution was promoted and nominated for the 2019 Award of the European Museum Academy for best museum in Europe.
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