Anne Frank

The chestnut tree that Anne Frank could see from her famous attic hiding place in Amsterdam during the Second World War, was seen by the young girl as a symbol of hope and the natural world, that she longed to touch again.  

Considered a living symbol of both Anne Frank’s legacy and of the values embodied by the United Nations, a sapling descended from that very tree, was planted in the gardens of UN headquarters in New York, on Wednesday. 

More than 500 students came to UN Headquarters in New York this month to mark the 70^th anniversary of the publication of the diary of Anne Frank and celebrate the “deep connection” they feel with the young Holocaust victim.

Her famous diary written as she and her family hid from the Nazis in an Amsterdam attic, has inspired several generations since World War Two, and is a testament to the need for greater cultural understanding and respect for diversity.

From racism to refugees, Kevin Feinberg, had much to say at the UN on Thursday after an event commemorating the 70^th anniversary of the Anne Frank Diary.

Honouring the legacy of the young Jewish girl who recorded her experiences while hiding in an Amsterdam attic during World War II, some 500 school children participated in “From Desperation to Inspiration.”