Recently, t’elf asked if I would like to spread the word and get involved with the Anne Frank – #NotSilent Campaign. As it was the first I’d heard of it, I headed straight to the website to get all caught up.

This wonderful campaign is determined to spread the word that we each of us have a voice and a right to be heard, without fear, recrimination or intimidation. 

From the Anne Frank website:

Anne Frank is author to one of the most widely read teenage diaries in the world.  Her story represents the millions of lives lost in what is regarded as one of the darkest periods of history, and inspires us all to make a better world for the present and coming generations.

At a time when many victims of the Nazis were powerless, this young girl refused to be silenced. Anne documented her every thought and feeling while in hiding for two long years, until she was captured and sent to her death from starvation and disease at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in the spring of 1945.

SO WHAT EXACTLY IS #NOTSILENT?

This year the Anne Frank Trust and Penguin Random House (UK publishers of The Diary of A Young Girl) have joined together to mark the 70^th anniversary of Anne’s death with a one minute campaign called #NotSilent.

Instead of a one minute’s silence to commemorate the end of Anne Frank’s short life, we invite you to read out loud a one minute passage from Anne’s inspirational writing at any time on or after Tuesday 14^th April.

We have a selection of passages suitable for a one minute reading to choose from, you can choose one yourself, or you can read something you have written about your own life and hopes. You can start or end your reading by explaining why you want to do it.

HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED

STEP ONE:  Select an extract suitable for a one minute reading. This can either be an extract from Anne’s diary, you can download our selection here, or you can choose your own writing. While you read, either alone, in a group, in your classroom, home, work place or public place, we ask you to film yourself and upload it onto a video sharing platform of your choice (Youtube, Vimeo, Flickr etc) ensuring the video is available to view publicly.

STEP TWO:   Send us the link to your video, by posting it on to the Anne Frank Trust’s Facebook (Anne Frank Trust UK) or Twitter (@annefranktrust) pages, using the hash tag #NotSilent.

Alternatively, you can e-mail your video via we transfer to siama@annefrank.org.uk.

STEP THREE:  We also ask you to share your one minute clip throughout your social media to encourage others to join in.

Thank you for participating and honoring Anne Frank’s memory in this way. We will together be #NotSilent.

I hope to have a video of a recording up on the 14th and will happily post the videos of any LBC friends or members who want to be involved (without setting up a blog!).

If you would like to join in with the Anne Frank #NotSilent campaign, there are a selection of choices available here.