In January this year, we lost our dear colleague and friend, Karen Becher, a passionate educator who touched the lives of so many through her warmth, kindness, and dedication to combatting hatred. Karen worked for the Museum for close to a decade and established our successful ‘Breaking the Cycle’ intervention tool for fighting prejudice. Her legacy continues to inspire us every day.

To honour Karen's memory and the incredible work she did for the Museum, we are now introducing The Karen Becher Essay Award. This competition is aimed at 16-18 year olds, and we ask them to write their own response to a proposed essay question. The best essayists will have the chance to have their work celebrated with an event held at the centre.

The winner will receive a £500.00 cash prize, alongside their work being published on The Holocaust Listening Project.

The title this year is: Does free speech build or break a community?

Guidelines

• Word limit: 1200 words
• Deadline: 31st March 2025
• Content: There are no specific content guidelines for this essay; students are encouraged to craft their own response, sharing their personal opinions. They should approach the question with creativity and critical thinking, and the response does not need to be related to the Holocaust in any way.  
• Submissions: Please submit your response to [email protected] 
  • please put 'essay competition' in the subject line. 
• Please send any questions to: [email protected]

Additional guidance

We will be sharing essay-writing guidance from the team at the National Holocaust Centre and Museum, which will be available on our social media channels and on our online webinar. Our knowledgeable staff come from a range of academic fields, including Religious Studies, Philosophy, Sociology, History, Modern Languages, and Anthropology. They will be hosting an online essay-writing workshop designed to support students in crafting their responses. Participants will receive guidance on varied perspectives related to the question and have the opportunity to engage in a discussion with the team, helping them develop their own personal viewpoints.

Keep an eye on our social media channels and website for updates.

Check out our social media channels below:

	Instagram: @nationalholocaustmuseumuk
	Facebook: THCLaxton
	LinkedIn: The National Holocaust Centre and Museum