In the year that marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, the Institute of the European Network Remembrance and Solidarity is organizing a competition titled ”Grandparents, Grand Stories! First-Hand Experience of the Second World War”.
The competition targets school youth, university students and teachers. Its aim is to inspire the young generation to explore the history of the Second World War through the discovery of family and local stories as well as firsthand accounts by witnesses of those events.
The competition highlights the great importance of intergenerational dialogue, enabling younger generations to learn from the experiences of those who remember the war.
This is a truly unique and perhaps last chance to hear authentic memories before they disappear forever from our everyday lives. It is all about talking with one’s relatives and learning about local histories, nurture memory and build bridges between the past and the present, putting young people in touch with living history that shapes their identity and social awareness.
Participants can submit their entries in the following categories:
- Written work – written memoirs, interviews or descriptions of family memorabilia related to the Second World War;
- Photography – photographs of memorabilia, places or portraits of people associated with the Second World War;
- Audiovisual material – recordings, animations or films;
- Lesson script – a 45-minute piece for an educational activity on local and family history during the Second World War.
The deadline for submissions is 15 March 2025 at 23:59 hrs. Submissions should be sent by email to: grand-stories@enrs.eu. The results of the competition will be announced by 30 April 2025.
Please observe submissions should be in English only. Anyone (school youth, university students and teachers) can participate to the contest.
”Attractive prizes await the winners, including a grand prize of €1,000, publication of the winning entries on www.enrs.eu and promotion on social media. Participation in the competition provides opportunities for further collaboration and participation in projects organised by the ENRS.
We warmly invite you to participate in the competition and share stories that deserve to be remembered! The European Network Remembrance and Solidarity is an international initiative that aims to research, document and disseminate knowledge about 20-th century European history and ways of commemorating it with a particular focus on the period of dictatorships, wars and social resistance to captivity.
The members of the Network are Germany, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary, while representatives of Albania, Austria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Georgia also serve on its advisory boards”, the organizers informed.
Pictures courtesy of ENRS
