LONDON, June 22 /PRNewswire/ -- In this, the 60th anniversary year of the first publication of Anne
Frank's diary, over 100 primary and secondary schools across the UK have
proved the relevance of Anne Frank's Diary as a learning resource in schools,
following research conducted by The Anne Frank Trust UK, a partner
organisation of The Anne Frank House, Amsterdam.
On 25th June 1947 there was a single word written in the day book of
Anne's father, Otto Frank. It reads "Boek" ('book'). This is understood to
signify the publication date of the very first edition of his daughter's
diary. Having struggled to find an interested publisher and after several
rejections, Otto was eventually approached by a small company called Contact,
who agreed to publish the manuscript as "Het Achterhuis" (literally
translated as the 'back house') in a small run of 1,500 copies.
Not only has the research proved that Anne's diary is still relevant in
UK schools but her diary is still cited as one of the world's most
inspirational and influential books and a testament to the power of a child's
voice. It has been quoted by world leaders such as Nelson Mandela as helping
to shape their own ethical code as well as countless writers and artists
around the world.
- 100% of the schools who participated in The Anne Frank Trust
UK's research into whether Anne Frank's diary is still valued and used in
British schools currently use Anne's diary as a teaching resource.
- 70 % of the schools use the diary in History, 40% in Literacy
and English, 26% in PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Education) and RE
(Religious Education) and 8% in Citizenship. Other subjects Anne's diary
is used in include Humanities, Culture, Sociology, Philosophy, Drama and
Assemblies.
- 62% of the school children are introduced to Anne Frank in
Years 5 and 6 (aged 9-11 years old), a few years younger than Anne was
herself when she started the diary on her 13th birthday on 12 June 1942.
"I don't think any book has ever meant so much to me. No one has written
so well about the joy and pain of growing up." Jacqueline Wilson OBE,
Children's Laureate
Notes to Editors
The Anne Frank Trust UK
- The Anne Frank Trust UK is the British partner organisation of the Anne
Frank House, Amsterdam. It works in schools, prisons and in communities all
over the UK, drawing on the power of Anne Frank's diary to help build a
society based on mutual respect, compassion and responsibility.
- The Trust's work comprises:
- working in racially diverse inner London schools creating educational
programmes and activities including exhibitions, poetry workshops,
performances and debates. The London project will eventually be spread
throughout the cities of the UK
- helping prisoners and young offenders re-evaluate their own attitudes
and behaviours through studying the history of Anne Frank and the Holocaust
- taking travelling exhibitions across the UK and presenting them to
hundreds of thousands of visitors a year free of charge
- stimulating a wide range of communal and civic events at each
exhibition
- training volunteers to spread the message of Anne Frank
- giving teachers, through Anne Frank Day, the opportunity to focus on
the moral and spiritual wellbeing of their pupils
- recognising, by the Anne Frank Awards, that each young person has the
power to make a difference in their community.
contact details: www.annefrankawards.org.uk or contact The Anne
Frank Trust on +44-(0)20-7284-5858 for details.
Anne Frank Trust UK
For press information contact Sonia Noy at sonia@annefrank.org.uk or on +44-(0)20-7284-5858.
