July 2022 – LRE Foundation

The German Federal Government supports the LRE Foundation for the third year in a row

Posted on July 28, 2022July 28, 2022 by Cecilia Badano

The LRE Foundation has recently received a new grant from the German Federal Government, following the decision to continue the financial support in 2022. The signature took place on Wednesday, 27 July, at the German Embassy in The Hague, the Netherlands, in the presence of Ambassador Dr. Cyrill Nunn and LRE Foundation Managing Director Rémi Praud.

With this signature, the German Federal Government ensures its support to the Liberation Route Europe project for the third year in a row. The past grants have been crucial for the creation, launch and expansion of the international hiking trails system in the footsteps of the Allies forces (including the launch event in July 2021 in Berlin and the installation of over a hundred Floor ‘Vectors of Memory’ in Europe), the development of the Liberation Route Europe website and mobile application, and the realisation of educational and marketing materials, such as videos and brochures, to bring the project to a larger public in Europe and North America.

The 2022 grant will make it possible to further develop the Liberation Route Europe trails by researching new historical content, new modes to experience the route and installing more ‘Vectors of memory’ trail markers. Moreover, the LRE Foundation aims to engage with new international partners to involve new regions and storylines in the current network and works to build even more awareness among the European and North American public.

“We would like to thank again the German Federal Government for their renewed commitment to endorse the Liberation Route Europe’s mission and values.”, said Rémi Praud, LREF Managing Director, “In the past year, the route has grown into a European-wide remembrance project, and an example of meaningful sustainable tourism that we hope will be able to inspire more and more cultural institutions. This additional grant is crucial because it allows us to seek new partners and stories to bring to our growing audience”.

SAVE THE DATE | LRE Forum 2023 in Tuscany, 28 February – 3 March

Posted on July 19, 2022July 21, 2022 by Cecilia Badano

We are beyond excited to announce that the next edition of the Foundation’s annual LRE Forum will take place in Tuscany! After a successful event in Normandy, the LRE Forum will return from February 28 until March 3, 2023, in the beautiful and historic Tuscan surroundings with an insightful programme rich in networking opportunities, insightful panel discussions and guided tours.

The Foundation’s annual Forum brings together members, partners, and tourism stakeholders to hear updates from experts, network, and attend specialised travel trade events, encouraging them to develop new ideas and practices within the WWII and remembrance sector. The 2023 event is jointly organised by the LRE Foundation and LRE Italy.

Rémi Praud, Managing Director of the LRE Foundation, says: “It is a great pleasure to be able to organise our annual event in Tuscany, not only for its beautiful landscapes and cities but also for its cultural heritage and great hospitality. We are excited to welcome our network in the region that has been hosting our Italian branch since 2019. It is a great occasion for us to promote even more the surroundings and this fascinating part of WWII history.”

Carlo Puddu, LRE Italy Director: “The LRE Forum is a unique opportunity to draw international attention to our country and stimulate a responsible form of tourism aimed to explore recent history and enhance our already rich tourist and cultural offer.”

With a 4-days programme, the LRE Forum 2023 will offer a variety of activities:

The LRE Member Seminar provides an occasion to meet with other members of the LRE Foundation, discuss their experiences, and hear the Foundation’s latest updates.
The LRE Conference features a variety of engaging speakers, in-depth keynotes and panel discussions, which consider the remembrance sector’s potential as a tool for citizenship and shaping today’s world.
The LRE Gala dining event offers valuable networking opportunities for Foundation members, key partners, and sponsors.
LREXPO provides representatives from remembrance sites, museums, and tourism destinations with an excellent opportunity to network with travel trade stakeholders.
Sites visits to explore with local guides some of the most influential locations, museums and memorials linked to the region’s WWII history.

More information about the event and registration will be released after the summer.
Check out the LRE Forum 2023 page to stay updated.

The LRE Foundation kicks off its new project funded by the European Union: “Persecution through their EYES”

Posted on July 6, 2022April 24, 2023 by Cecilia Badano

On 28-29 June, the LRE Foundation welcomed in Brussels its project partners to officially kick off the brand-new project “Persecution through their EYES”. After two successful editions of “History Through their Eyes” (in 2017-2019 and 2020-2022), the LRE Foundation is partnering up with the Camp Vught National Memorial (Netherlands), Stiftung Gedenkstätten Buchenwald und Mittelbau-Dora (Germany), LRE Italy, the National Peace Park and Historical Museum of the Resistance in Sant’Anna di Stazzema (Italy), and Brama Grodzka – Teatr NN Lublin (Poland) to organise a remembrance initiative highlighting the stories of those persecuted by the Nazi totalitarian dictatorship.

Realised nearly 80 years following the end of the Second World War, this project aims to deepen a multi-perspective, transnational understanding of the Nazi persecution history by spotlighting the vast array of experiences of the victims of this regime, including, among others, Jews, Roma/Sinti, political prisoners, homosexuals, prisoners of war, civilians, and resistance fighters. The project, funded by the European Union as part of the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme, will also reflect on the importance of human rights and promote youth education through first-hand visits to historical places of remembrance and international dialogue.

To fully realise this aim, the project partners will organise a series of events addressed to students, teachers, WWII educators and stakeholders, including international workshops and four youth events (one per project partner) around a travelling exhibition that features stories from those persecuted individuals. The exhibition will also be made accessible online for a wider audience.

Rémi Praud, Managing Director of the LRE Foundation: “We are proud to be collaborating with such leading cultural institutions, and it was an absolute pleasure to welcome some of their representatives to our office in Brussels for what turned out to be a very insightful kick-off meeting. I am confident that their vast knowledge and the previous editions of ‚History Through their EYES‘ will serve as a solid base to build a relevant and engaging initiative for the younger generations to visit the places where the Nazi regime committed these crimes, learn about the victim‘s personal stories and reflect on the importance of human rights in our nowadays society”.