Czech Republic recognises Nates for Holocaust work

Tali Nates, the founder and executive director of the Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre (JHGC), has received an international award for her part in South Africa’s efforts to remember those who perished in the Holocaust.

An accomplished educator, Nates received the esteemed Gratias Agit Award, presented annually by the Czech Republic. The award was presented at a reception at the residence of the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to South Africa, Dr Pavel Řezáč, in Pretoria last Thursday, 18 March. She is the first South African to receive the award.

“I received an official email announcing that I was chosen to receive this prestigious award in May last year,” she told the SA Jewish Report. She was invited to Prague for three days in October to receive the award, but because of the pandemic, it wasn’t possible to go.

“I never expected to be recognised for the work done over the years of memorialising and educating about the Theresienstadt Ghetto and other aspects of the Holocaust in the former Czechoslovakia, as well as the role the Czech Republic played in trying to prevent genocide in Rwanda,” she said.

“I’m honoured and touched that the work has been recognised.”

The only statutory prize awarded by the Czech ministry of foreign affairs, it’s becoming an increasingly prestigious prize for voluntary activities of people committed to working for the benefit of society, for the promotion of friendship among nations, and for the promotion of the good name of the Czech Republic in the world.

The Pretoria reception included several ambassadors who work closely with the JHGC, including the German ambassador to South Africa, Martin Schafer.

At the ceremony, Czech Minister Counsellor Alice Mžyková explained that the award had been presented annually since 1997 by the Czech minister of foreign affairs for promoting the good name of the Czech Republic abroad.

“It’s an instrument which allows the minister to appreciate a prominent person or organisation for developing activities in non-government fields, as well as the increasing role of civic society,” she said. “In the past 23 years, the Crystal Globe has been handed over to almost 350 laureates around the world, 12 in 2020.

“The Gratias Agit is becoming an even more prestigious prize, celebrating the voluntary activities of people committed to work for the benefit of the society as a whole. We thank Tali for promoting friendship between the nations, and for spreading the good name of the Czech Republic in the world.”

Mžyková paid tribute to Nates for work including a unique remembrance exhibition at the Johannesburg centre dedicated to the Holocaust as it unfolded during World War II in the former Czechoslovakia.

“Special attention is paid to what happened in the concentration camp Terezín,” she said. “Tali has presented the occurrences sensitively, using drawings and poems. These drawings and poems were created by the children of prisoners, and form a part of the new exhibition.”

Said Nates, “The ceremony was emotional, with speeches, the award of the famous crystal ball, the certificate signed by the Czech foreign minister, and a beautiful bouquet of flowers. The atmosphere was wonderful in spite of the pandemic, social distancing, and masks. The food was delicious, and the singing in Czech of Dvořák was superb.”

Being recognised for the work the JHGC is doing in the field of memory, education, and lessons for humanity is gratifying, Nates said.

“It also means that dedication to counter hate speech and working to strengthen democracy is recognised,” she says. “My dream of creating the centre including the important stories of Theresienstadt, of children’s poetry, music, and drawings, was recognised.

“Telling about the role of the teachers in the ghetto, highlighting stories of resistance such as the creation of the children’s magazine, Vedem and its 15-year-old editor, Petr Ginz, who was murdered in Auschwitz, is important not only for the Czech Republic but also for us in South Africa.

“I’m grateful for that recognition, and the partnership between South Africa and the Czech Republic in remembering and educating about the Holocaust and genocide.

“Being the first South African to be honoured with this prestigious award hopefully brings joy and pride to the country, especially the Jewish community, as this award directly honours the work in Holocaust and genocide memory and education we do.”