Following the weekend when the country stops to remember those who gave their lives in two World Wars and other conflicts across the world, an extraordinary group of young people are today launching the result of a unique and innovative endeavour designed to challenge racial hatred, intolerance, sectarianism and inequality.

Following a trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau last year, senior pupils from Inverkeithing, Lochgelly and Balwearie High schools formed 'The Auschwitz Experience Group' and began considering what they could do to pass on what they had learnt in Poland to other young people.

Mhairi Liddell (18), one of the group's young spokespersons said: "While we were there we learnt that, according to recent BBC research, 60% of people under 35 in the UK had not heard of Auschwitz and knew little about the Holocaust and the horrors of that dark period in human history. We felt that we should do something about that to remember and show respect to those who were affected. We also wanted to help young people and others living in these challenging times today become more aware of how important it is to never forget what a terrible time the Holocaust was".

Rachael Allan (17) from Lochgelly High school added "We are young at a time when the world is full of confusing political and cultural conflict and hate. We believe that none of us should separate what happened in that time from the way we choose to live our own lives today...and we shouldn't waste one moment making sure that as many people as possible understand that."

The result of this determination and creativity is a unique major, multi-site interactive festival called 'Anne Frank + You' which will take place for three full weeks in Kirkcaldy in January 2007 and has been designed to involve and fascinate school groups, families and the wider Scottish community.

16 year old Robert Kernaghan from Inverkeithing High School explained: "This festival is absolutely free to all and is bringing together three amazing exhibitions designed to help people explore the themes of prejudice, disrespect and intolerance through the words, images and experiences of Anne Frank, her family and other survivors of the Holocaust.

"Anne was a teenager who really believed that the world she lived in would become a better place. In that spirit we came up with the idea of putting on a really interactive and stimulating exhibition event, and our ideas have now grown from that small seed into this massive multi arts Festival because of the huge support given by everyone who heard about what we wanted to do. Fife Council, Adam Smith College, the Scottish Executive, the Anne Frank Trust UK and many others have been amazing and the professional support and, advice given has been incredible.

"We hope that the communities in Scotland today that were so badly affected by the Holocaust and those people that continue to be affected by prejudice in our society will support our ideas and we look forward to learning from and working closely with them in the run up to International Holocaust Memorial Day 2007."

The group is proud of the support their efforts have achieved so far. The Festival is being supported the Scottish Executive. Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm said: "I hope many will take the opportunity to view and participate in the exhibitions and events which will be hosted by Fife Council and Adam Smith College leading up to, and culminating in, Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration on 28 January, 2007. History teaches us powerful, important lessons and we must ensure that we are not complacent. It is for us all to take time to reflect upon, consider and discuss how the events of the Holocaust still have relevance for us today."

Marilyn Livingston MSP for Kirkcaldy said: "Young people have so much to give to our communities and need to be given many more opportunities to engage in the decision-making processes which influence society. Pupils Councils, Fife Young People's Panel, the Big Challenge, Fife Youth Forum and Publicity and Creative Training all have public funding support to improve and develop youngster's abilities to participate. The Anne Frank Festival in Kirkcaldy gives a very poignant reminder to all of us how important it is to remember the past and be optimistic for the future. I am delighted to be invited to the launch and fully support the principle of placing young people at the heart of community development."

Peter Wilson Chief Constable of Fife Constabulary said: "It is hard to imagine a better example against which to reflect on tolerance in modern society than the life of Anne Frank. Fife Constabulary welcomes the initiative that will bring the Anne Frank Festival to Fife, and look forward to supporting and participating in the variety of events which are being organized."

Paul Tyack from the 'The Anne Frank Trust UK said, "We are delighted to be able to bring the Anne Frank exhibitions to Fife in January 2007. We have been especially pleased with the enthusiasm and commitment demonstrated by so many people in planning the festival and we are looking forward to seeing many more people getting involved in January. Above all, we have been struck by the creativity and vision of the young people involved who have worked so hard to make this a truly memorable event."

Gordon Brown M.P. for Kirkcaldy said " I am delighted that the Anne Frank Festival will be taking place in my constituency over three weeks in January next year.  I am particularly impressed that this whole festival, unique in its ambition has been created through the enterprise, social responsibility, passion and creativity of young people from this area and that local services and organisations have responded to their ideas so enthusiastically.  Communities are made strong and cohesive when divisive issues and concerns dealt with so well in this event are brought out into the light. This event proves that when generations work together optimistically for positive change in the world, that change can happen."

Cllr Kay Morrison, Fife Council's Spokesperson for School children and Cllr James Brennan, Spokesperson for Leisure and Arts, who chaired the launch event today, along with Aileen Lamden, 'Director of the Centre for Creative Industries at Adam Smith College, Fife agreed that they were heartened by the work that so many young people had already put into making these ideas a reality.

Cllr Morrison summed up simply: "We are all very, very proud of what has been achieved through this creative dialogue between young people and public services and we are looking forward to the first day of the Festival on the 8^th of January 2007".