Back to Events Academic Calendar Department Events Faculty/Staff AUHP speaker: Auschwitz as a Place of Learning Date: January 14, 2026 Time: 7:00 - 8:30 pm Auschwitz as a Place of Learning: The History and Work of the International Youth Meeting Centre in Oświęcim Description: Founded nearly 40 years ago, the International Youth Meeting Centre is located in the Polish city of Oświęcim, which was known as Auschwitz during the German occupation in World War II. The Centre stands between the city and the site of the former Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp, where approximately 1.1 million people, mainly Jews, were murdered. It was established through a remarkable collaboration between the West German organization Action Reconciliation Service for Peace, the City of Oświęcim, and the active support of former Auschwitz prisoners, who not only helped found the Centre but also contributed to its educational mission. Created during the Cold War, at a time of tense Polish-German relations and unresolved historical trauma, the Centre was envisioned as a space where young people could deeply engage with the legacy of Auschwitz and the Holocaust. This talk will examine the founding of the Centre within its broader historical and political context, and explore how its mission, based on the idea of “Auschwitz as a place of learning,” continues to guide its work today. Speaker Biography David Kennedy is a Polish-American with a deep familial connection to the city of Oświęcim, Poland, where the former Auschwitz concentration and death camp is located. His family lived through the war in Oświęcim, and he also spent a significant part of his own childhood there. He holds a degree in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Wisconsin–Madison (2002). Since 2007, he has worked as an educator at the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, guiding visitors through the site and its history. He has also contributed as a translator and editor, including work on museum publications and exhibitions. In 2023, he joined the team at the International Youth Meeting Centre in Oświęcim, a Polish-German foundation that offers educational programs focused on Auschwitz, the Holocaust, and intercultural dialogue. The lecture will take place on Wednesday, Jan 14, 2026 at 7pm in the Kinlaw Boardroom.