Matt, founder of Apollo Scholars, reflects on his experiences with the Lessons From Auschwitz Project and his journey as a Holocaust Educational Trust Ambassador. These reflections explore how visiting Auschwitz and engaging with the project shaped his perspective, values and approach to education today.

In 2012, a journey deep to the heart of modern European history changed how he understands humanity, responsibility and the power of memory. What began as a school trip to Poland became the start of a path of reflection, learning and purpose; one that ultimately led him to become a Holocaust Educational Trust Ambassador through the Lessons from Auschwitz Project.

This is his reflection on that journey, what he learned and why students today might consider taking part in this truly transformative experience.

What inspired my journey with the Lessons from Auschwitz Project?

I still remember the cold morning I arrived in Poland. At the time, I did not fully understand what visiting Auschwitz would mean. I was curious but unprepared for the emotional weight of standing in the place where so many lives were destroyed.

Walking through Auschwitz-Birkenau for the first time felt like stepping outside of time. The silence was heavy; not peaceful, but almost physical. It was as if the air itself was holding its breath. I left with questions, emotions I could not process, and a sense that I needed to learn more.

That visit stayed with me and became the reason I applied for the Lessons from Auschwitz Project later that year.

Meeting Holocaust Survivor Zigi Shipper

Before visiting Auschwitz, I had the immense privilege of meeting the late Holocaust survivor Zigi Shipper. Hearing him speak about his experiences as a child in Auschwitz-Birkenau was both humbling and profoundly moving. He spoke not only of the horrors he endured, but also of how he rebuilt his life in the years that followed. His resilience, courage and unwavering commitment to remembrance and education left a lasting impression on me.

Meeting Zigi made my upcoming trip feel profoundly personal. It was no longer just a historical visit; it was a connection to someone who had lived through the events I was about to witness. His words stayed with me as I walked the camp, shaping the way I processed what I saw and the lessons I would carry forward.

How did my school trip to Auschwitz change me?

Through my school and later the Lessons From Auschwitz Project, I visited Auschwitz twice in the same year, once in the deep winter, and once in the autumn.

The winter visit is etched in my memory with painful clarity. Snow covered everything. The cold pierced through every layer of clothing and straight to the bone. In that stark landscape, the reality of the Holocaust felt almost unbearable.

When I returned in autumn, the site looked almost unrecognisably different. Warm sunlight lit the buildings, leaves rustled softly on the ground. That contrast, the beauty of the season layered over such horror, made the reality of what had happened even more profound.

Those visits taught me something crucial: history is not distant. It exists in the same world we inhabit today.

What did I learn from visiting Auschwitz in winter and autumn?

Experiencing the site in two different seasons brought clarity I could not have gained otherwise. The harsh winter reinforced the starkness and enormity of loss. The autumn visit reminded me that life continues, yet the lessons of the past cannot be forgotten.

The contrast helped me see that remembrance is both solemn and living; it requires reflection, empathy and understanding.

How did becoming a Holocaust Educational Trust Ambassador shape my perspective?

After completing the Lessons from Auschwitz Project, I became a Holocaust Educational Trust Ambassador. That role was not just a title; it was a responsibility to carry the stories forward when survivors could no longer tell them themselves.

I learned that:

• Memory is active. Remembering the Holocaust requires listening, sharing and reflecting.
• Education matters. Hearing survivors’ stories brought the human side of history into sharp focus.
• Young people have a role. Engaging with these lessons is a way to ensure truth endures.

It was a reminder that the past continues to shape the present, and that small acts of reflection and education have a lasting impact.

Why should students take part in the Lessons from Auschwitz Project?

The Lessons from Auschwitz Project is one of the most important opportunities available to young people in the UK. It teaches empathy, understanding and the power of bearing witness.

In a world where misinformation spreads quickly and divisions can grow easily, programmes like this are vital. They show that history is not just a subject; it is a living warning, a call to understand the consequences of prejudice, hatred and indifference.

For students, this experience offers something truly unforgettable: the chance to see history with your own eyes, to reflect deeply and to carry those lessons forward.

How can young people help preserve Holocaust memory today?

Even after visiting Auschwitz and becoming a Holocaust Educational Trust Ambassador, I realised that remembrance is ongoing. Young people today can play an important role:

• Listening carefully to survivor testimony
• Sharing what they learn with peers
• Engaging critically with history and current events
• Standing against prejudice and discrimination

Every act of remembrance ensures that the lessons of the Holocaust are not forgotten.

What lessons from Auschwitz still guide me a decade later?

More than ten years later, I can still recall the snow crunching underfoot, the rows of empty barracks, the autumn sun and the railway tracks stretching toward an unspeakable past. Those moments remain vivid, etched into my memory in a way that time has never softened.

These experiences continue to guide my work and the values at the heart of Apollo Scholars. They remind me that education is not simply about absorbing information; it is about developing understanding, nurturing curiosity and having the courage to confront difficult truths. The lessons I learned at Auschwitz are not only historical, they are deeply human. They shape how I encourage young people to grow, to question and to keep learning throughout their lives, because it is only through rigorous questioning and curiosity that we arrive at real understanding.

Learn More and Get Involved

To explore the programme, its impact and how to participate, visit the Holocaust Educational Trust.

Their work changes lives. It certainly changed mine.