Students from three schools in different parts of France were awarded the Ilan Halimi prize by the French Prime Minister Jean Castex this week. The winners were congratulated on their various cultural projects aimed at tackling racism and anti-Semitism.
The annual Ilan Halimi prize, one of the measures contained in the 2018-2020 National Plan against Racism and anti-Semitism, is organised by an intergovernmental body (Dilcrah). It highlights creative efforts to push back against all forms of discrimination.
Reserved for people under the age of 25, the projects are selected from a multitude of fields: cultural, artistic, sports or digital.
"When I see you, I am more determined than ever, and full of hope," Castex told the gathering at the Matignon in Paris on Monday.
Castex was joined by the Equality Minister, Elisabeth Moreno and the Education Minister, Jean-Michel Blanquer, to present the prizes to three different schools.
The Ilan Halimi Prize is a way to say the Republic will never allow that kind of behaviour, Castex said, reminding the audience of the origin of the award which was created in 2018 to honour Ilan Halimi, a 23-year-old Jewish man who was tortured and killed by a gang in 2006.
"We will never give up in the face of some people who want to rewrite history," he said, alluding to the Vichy regime which collaborated with Nazi Germany to deport Jews during the Second World War.
Multimedia
The Grand prix 2022 went to students from the Sévigné senior professional high school in Gap, south-eastern France, for the creation of a digital book (Gap au fil de l’histoire) dedicated to the history of their town and region, in the context of the Second World War and the Holocaust.
It traces the stories of Jewish families, hidden by locals, and others who were deported to camps by Nazi soldiers during the Second World War.
Taking nearly two years to complete, the book contains testimonials from local people, archival material, graphics and illustrations designed by the students.
A second award went to l'Ecole de la Deuxième Chance (School of Second Chances) in La Courneuve, just to the north of Paris, for their collective audio piece.
Thirteen students from 12 different countries recorded spoken commentary to accompany eight artworks on display at the Museum for Art and History of Judaism (Musée d’art et d’histoire du judaïsme) intended for visually- impaired visitors.
Students were able to discover Jewish culture and heritage, while working closely with professionals who interpreted the texts.
They also participated in workshops such as calligraphy, ceramics and other crafts. Some went on to complete work experience in the museum to help them complete their diplomas.
'I have a dream'
The third prize was handed to a class of 12-year-old students from the Toulouse-Lautrec high school in Toulouse, southern France, for their video and a book of poems on the theme of fraternity.
The video shows a class thinking about everyday life and how it is important to take a stand against discrimination so it does not become trivialised.
Using the famous "I have a dream" phrase uttered by Martin Luther King, the students demonstrate situations they had experienced to share with the other classes in their school.
Castex said that France would use its time as president of the European Union to further the fight against hatred and anti-Semitism with a proposed document to fight online discrimination.
Ce matin à Ste-Geneviève-des-Bois avec les lauréats du #PrixIlanHalimi 2022 et le maire @FredPetitta pour un moment de recueillement à la mémoire d’Ilan.
— Elise Fajgeles (@EliseFajgeles) February 15, 2022
Beaucoup d’émotion et de détermination à poursuivre le combat contre la haine, l’indifférence et pour la fraternité.@DILCRAH pic.twitter.com/QUB9F5dV4X
On Tuesday, some of the students paid homage to Ilan Halimi, accompanied by the Mayor of Saint-Geneviève-des-Bois.
