Museum Signs Archival Agreement with the Archives of Morocco

May 16, 2018

UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM SIGNS COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH THE ARCHIVES OF MOROCCO

Institutions will share archival materials and cooperate on future educational projects; Agreement continues Museum’s archival cooperation with Morocco

WASHINGTON, DC -  On May 7, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., signed a cooperation agreement with the Archives of Morocco to share archival materials on the Jews of North Africa during the Second World War held by each institution. The agreement will expand the Museum’s archival holdings on this understudied aspect of history and will enable scholars from North Africa, Europe and around the globe to conduct research both in Morocco and at the Museum. 

The agreement follows a meeting in Morocco in October 2017 between Prince Moulay Rachid and a Museum delegation that included Museum Director Sara J. Bloomfield. The participants discussed the importance of Holocaust education both as a way to memorialize the victims and to help educate people about the dangers of extremism and hatred today.

“The signing of this agreement with Morocco is an important step in the Museum’s work in collecting archival documentation from North African countries and making them available for research,” said Tad Stahnke, the Museum’s Director of International Outreach. “The Museum signed an archival sharing agreement with the Moroccan National Library in 2008, and Morocco remains the only Arab nation with which we have an archival agreement. We are extremely pleased that this relationship will benefit our understanding of how the Holocaust touched the North African region.”

In addition to Mr. Stahnke, Jamaa Baida, Director of the National Archives, Stephanie Miley, the Charge d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Morocco, the Honorable Andre Azoulay, Senior Adviser to King Mohammed VI of Morocco and Mr. David Toledano, Secretary General of the Jewish community in Rabat spoke at the signing event.

A living memorial to the Holocaust, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum inspires citizens and leaders worldwide to confront hatred, prevent genocide and promote human dignity. Visit ushmm.org for more information.

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