How to talk about the Holocaust with children

Please join us at Melbourne Holocaust Museum for a panel discussion on how to speak to your children about the Holocaust, we welcome Morris Gleitzman, Dr Justin Olstein and MHM Educator Grace Powell in conversation moderated by MHM Head of Experience and Learning Dr Breann Fallon. 

Morris Gleitzman

Morris Gleitzman is a bestselling Australian children’s author. His books explore serious and sometimes confronting subjects in humourous and unexpected ways. His titles include Two Weeks With The Queen, Grace, Doubting Thomas, Bumface, Give Peas A Chance, Extra Time, Loyal Creatures, Digging Up Dad, and the series Once, Then, After, Soon, Maybe, Now and Always. His latest book is Tweet. Morris lives in Brisbane, and his books are published in more than twenty countries.

Dr Justin Olstein
Dr Justin Olstein is a psychologist working in private practice in Melbourne. His doctoral research explored intergenerational family dynamics influenced by the spectre of the Holocaust, as perceived by grandchildren and great-grandchildren of survivors. His research paper focusing on great-grandchildren of survivors was the first of its kind known to be published. He has a wealth of experience working in public mental health settings, as well as in private practice, and also supervises student researchers at Monash University. Justin has an extensive background in the creative industries (film and TV), and lives in Melbourne with his husband and two small children.

Grace Powell
Grace Powell is an educator at the Melbourne Holocaust Museum, joining the institution in 2024. During her 31 years of teaching, predominantly in Victoria schools, Grace has held a number of positions of responsibility including Deputy Principal.

Dr Breann Fallon

Dr Breann Fallon is the Head of Experience and Learning at the Melbourne Holocaust Museum. Working across the museums, education and human rights sectors Dr Fallon is also the president of the National Education Network for the Australian Museums and Galleries Association and served as an expert on the 2023 federal senate inquiry into the national ban on Nazi symbols, which was ultimately successful. Breann taught in the Studies in Religion department at the University of Sydney for over three years; her research interests include religion and violence, genocide, human rights, cinema, material religion, and gender, having published on all of these topics. A regular in the media, Breann is the host of the documentary 'Trafficked to Australia', was co-editor of the podcast ‘The Religious Studies Project,’ and has hosted ABC Radio National program ‘God Forbid.’

Please note this event may be recorded for our institutional archive, and photos may be used for marketing purposes.