Eva Olsson

Eva Olsson (http://www.evaolsson.ca/Splash.aspx)

Our hero is someone who can put the past behind them and conquer their fears without forgetting where they came from. They are someone who inspires others to make a change for the better. They are remembered for their positive attitude and strong words. Our hero is someone who thinks of others and puts them before themselves. Our hero is Eva Olsson.

Eva Olsson (http://www.evaolsson.ca/Splash.aspx)

Eva Olsson is an 86 year old holocaust survivor. Eva visited our school a few weeks ago. She brought a message to each person who heard her speak. She wanted our generation to understand what became of hate and bullying in the past, and how we need to prevent it from happening again in the future.

Even after everything that happened to her in WWII she still has a positive attitude towards both the present and the future. While she can’t forget what has happened to her, she has accepted it and learned to live with the past.

Eva had a fear of speaking out about the holocaust because she thought it could happen again and didn’t want to be involved in any way. But she changed her mind when she saw how hate has influenced and changed our society. “Her courage in breaking her silence and her dedication to leading a life committed to teaching peace and justice is a gift to humanity,” Testimonial from San Diego University.

Eva Olsson (http://www.evaolsson.ca/Splash.aspx)

Eva has spoken to millions of people in schools, clubs, prisons, police conferences, armed forces conferences, youth detention centers and the United Nations. She says she is using her voice so that those voices that were silenced wouldn’t be forgotten.

Eva faced her fears of the past and went back to her home town years later. She inspires people to stand up against hate & bullying. She has the courage to tell her story to our generation. She kept going and never gave up hope.

Her message is a powerful one. It forces people to listen, and truly understand the power hate has. She talks about her past with confidence that only comes with acceptance and age. Eva not only links her past to the present, but she makes it clear throughout her presentation why events like the holocaust started. The holocaust was a horrible thing, and was a result of hate and prejudice, but her message is one for a better tomorrow, where hate is minimal as well as racial discrimination.

Eva has gone on to write two books and has a movie about her story. Writing the books was extremely difficult for her because she never learned how to read or write. This is just another example of why she inspires people.

Eva Olsson is a hero.