One year ago, 24 Cincinnati teenagers and their four chaperones embarked on the March of the Living to honor, remember and uphold the legacy of the millions who perished during the Holocaust. Deeply affected and forever changed by the journey to Auschwitz - Birkenau, these same young people have formed a Cincinnati-based organization dedicated to memorializing the lives lost and encouraging others worldwide to make a statement in support of a world free of hatred and intolerance.
Named
Project 6 Million, the organization has created an expanding global and viral movement that urges individuals from all walks of life to think, act and communicate to ensure that the world never again experiences another Holocaust. Sarah Singer-Nourie, co-executive director, says, “Most people will never see Auschwitz. We wanted to find a way to bring our experience home.”
Project 6 Million taps the seemingly infinite reach of the Internet to find and mobilize individuals who are willing to make their own personal statements to support peace. So far, the group has received hundreds of statements. “We are finding that people are thoughtful about their statements,” says Singer-Nourie. “They want to take their time.” The group envisions incorporating these statements into a large-scale memorial to be established in Cincinnati, which shows the incomprehensible magnitude of the Holocaust depicted in the number 6 million. Each statement will represent an individual life lost. Concept views of the memorial can be found online.
At the hub of this viral campaign is the project’s website. According to Brandon Sosna, co-founder and co-executive director, the group received statements from individuals in the United States, Canada, Israel, the UK, South Africa, Australia and Germany in the first week alone. Project 6 Million activists hope that the word continues to spread. “It took the Nazis around six years to murder millions of people. We hope to rally at least as many people in less time to make a statement against hatred,” says Sosna.
As much as Project 6 Million honors the memory of lives lost in the Holocaust, it is also a movement to stand out against all forms of intolerance and hatred. “Project 6 Million is a way for both Jewish and non-Jewish individuals to rally around a cause that is greater than all of us,” says Sosna. “The Holocaust is a painful example and reminds us all what hatred can lead to,” adds Singer-Nourie.
A partner with the Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education, Project 6 Million is searching for volunteers to join its mission.
Do Good:
• Contribute to the viral movement by spreading the word.
• Donate to Project 6 Million
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