Holocaust Centre North apologises over training course press release
A Holocaust centre has apologised for the language that it used in a press release for a managerial training course that it offered.
The Holocaust Centre North, in Huddersfield, launched a programme last month which is designed to teach “modern leaders” how to learn from twentieth-century dictators about office culture and inclusion.
In a press release, the charity said of the course: “Exploring the leadership traits of Hitler, Stalin and others, as well as the dangers of being a bystander, the half-day course highlights the dangers of ignoring inclusion. It offers a challenging look at equality, diversity and inclusion at a time when cases of toxic workplace culture are rarely out of the headlines.”
Hannah Randall, Head of Learning at the organisation, is quoted in the press release as saying: “Participants are shocked to see that some of their leadership traits are similar to dictators. Stalin was an extreme micro-manager and this style is familiar to a lot of people. So too is Hitler’s hands-off and unaccountable approach that relies on his force of personality to get things done. It’s very much the blueprint of populism.
“We are using extreme scenarios but it serves a dual purpose. It makes people question their leadership style and it makes them confront relatable experiences that some would rather forget. So, for example, most people have seen discrimination in their organisation, which is stage three on the ten stages of genocide. A good number of people have seen colleagues not allowed to share their ideas or be valued because they’re a woman and some have seen colleagues wearing a hijab openly mocked and singled out for abuse.”
The organisation’s Director, Alessandro Bucci, said: “It’s now widely accepted that modern leaders must embrace EDI [Equality, Diversity, Inclusion], and organisations cannot afford to pay lip service to it. By exploring the grey areas of the Holocaust – and recognising that it’s too simple to reduce it to just good and bad guys – we are having real success in getting people to think about how they can create more inclusive workplaces. In the last year alone, allegations of bullying in employment tribunals have risen by 44 per cent to a record high – so there’s clearly a need for a more forceful approach to make people think about what they can do differently.”
Campaign Against Antisemitism subsequently wrote to the charity.
The Centre has now apologised for the language that was used in the press release.
In a letter to Campaign Against Antisemitism, the charity said: “At Holocaust Centre North we pride ourselves on working tirelessly to make sure the horrors of the Holocaust are never forgotten. With this in mind it is with genuine remorse that we apologise for the plainly inappropriate language used in the press release about our equality and diversity course.”
The Holocaust Centre North was founded in 2018 by the Holocaust Survivors’ Friendship Association, a group of refugees and survivors who have delivered education about the Holocaust since 1996. Its permanent exhibition and learning centre is based on the University of Huddersfield’s campus, and receives funding from the Association of Jewish Refugees, the Pears Foundation, and the Department for Levelling Up.
A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “We commend the Holocaust Centre North for its unreserved apology over its poor and insulting choice of language. We hope that future communications from the Centre will reflect a more considered approach to marketing the important educational work that it carries out.”
Image credit: Holocaust Centre North
