On April 1 the U.S. Embassy in Vilnius in partnership with the Secretariat of the International Commission organized a film screening and discussion of “Nana” for Lithuanian teachers and students who work in Tolerance Educational Centers.
On April 1 the U.S. Embassy in Vilnius in partnership with the Secretariat of the International Commission organized a film screening and discussion of “Nana” for Lithuanian teachers and students who work in Tolerance Educational Centers, as well as educators from Israel and Poland. “Nana” is a documentary film about Holocaust survivor Maryla Michalowski-Dyamant. Born in Bedzin, Poland, in 1919, Maryla survived Ravensbruck, Malchow, and Auschwitz following the Nazi occupation of Poland. Maryla’s survival is told through conversation amongst three generations: Maryla (grandmother), her daughter Alice, and her granddaughter, filmmaker and co-star Serena Dykman.
The program began with welcome remarks by the U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania, Robert S. Gilchrist, and the U.S. Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues, Cherrie Daniels. Following the screening, Serena Dykman joined the audience for a post-film discussion where she answered questions about the film, her relationship with her grandmother, and how her grandmother’s life-long fight against intolerance can be taught to new generations. As Ambassador Gilchrist remarked, “Maryla’s life is an inspiration and a powerful example of how one person can make a difference in the fight against hate. Her story is a lesson for all of us. It is particularly meaningful for the Embassy to work with the International Commission to support Holocaust education in Lithuania. Lithuania’s educators play a critical role in carrying out this important mission.”
