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Bearing Witness Trips

Bearing Witness trips offer a profound opportunity to deepen understanding of the Holocaust and its enduring lessons.

Through visits to concentration camps and historic sites in Munich, Prague, and Krakow, participants engage in immersive, firsthand learning about one of history's most profound tragedies.

Designed as a complement to the Bearing Witness Institute's Holocaust seminar and other antisemitism programs, these journeys challenge participants to reflect on the past while inspiring them to consider how they can contribute to making the world a better place.

“It wasn’t until I crossed the Atlantic with my classmates and stood on the grounds of history that I truly began to comprehend the Holocaust’s devastation. Seeing the horrors of Auschwitz and the walls of the Pinkas Synagogue covered with thousands of names of Holocaust victims, I fully understood the immense scale of the event. This experience deepened what I learned in class, illustrating the importance of maintaining the memorials and historical sites of the event so that we remember. Beyond grasping the tortured reality of the Holocaust, the experience taught me how to engage in meaningful conversations with my peers and with my teachers about difficult topics—a lesson I will carry with me forever.”

Cosette Lane ’25
Bearing Witness XV Student Participant

Learning and Reflection

Throughout the Bearing Witness trips, participants engage in presentations, guided discussions, journaling, and group reflections to connect historical facts with broader ethical and moral lessons. The itinerary is designed to educate and inspire participants to become advocates for human rights and to stand against prejudice and intolerance in all forms.

A distinctive feature of the Bearing Witness trips is the opportunity for participants to serve as tour guides, preparing and delivering presentations at key historical sites. Through research and collaboration, they explain the significance of each location to their fellow travelers, fostering active learning, critical thinking, and public speaking skills. This approach creates a deeper, more personal connection to the material.

Another integral element of the experience is the reading and discussion of letters, speeches, and reflections from Holocaust survivors, historians, and global leaders. These firsthand accounts provide human perspectives on the Holocaust, emphasizing the importance of remembering this history to combat hatred and promote human rights.

This journey to Munich, Prague, and Krakow is more than a trip—it is a transformative educational experience that leaves a lasting impact on every participant.

“Bearing Witness is far from an ordinary program. It is a profoundly transformative experience for everyone lucky enough to participate. You learn about the tragic past, observe present issues, and strive to raise awareness for the future. While there are no definitive answers for what history has written, this program taught me how to find the hidden beauty of the world—whether in the Holocaust Seminar classroom, the streets of bustling Munich, Prague, or Krakow, or in the hearts of all those around me. It was difficult to “bear witness” to such atrocities, but I am forever grateful for the lessons I have learned, the unparalleled experiences I have had, and the remarkable people I have come to know.”

Colton Walker ’26
Bearing Witness XVII Student Participant

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