There is never a time when we are not reminded of the lessons of the Holocaust. They are especially relevant today in light of the rise of anti-Semitism, and the outright expression of extremists who wish to turn the world into an Islamic caliphate and annihilate all non-Muslims. I was personally reminded of these lessons when I visited the exhibit Anne Frank in the World: 1929-1945 in Sandy Springs, Ga., just outside of Atlanta.

Through a powerful film, hundreds of photos, a replica of the room where Anne slept in the Annex, and a model of the entire Annex itself, I was swept into the life of Anne Frank—the peaceful time before the Nazi invasion, and then the swift change to utter catastrophe. Anne’s voice stayed with me as I viewed rows of photos of the Nazi Labor movement, anti-Jewish boycotts, Hitler Youth rallies, SS volunteers and, of course, the atrocities in the camps. I felt the horror of the Holocaust envelop me, holding me hostage just as it had held Anne in the Secret Annex. I was gripped by the fear of how the same kind of anti-Semitism and bigotry and outright hated for “the other” can escalate into another kind of Holocaust fever.

After walking through the entire exhibit, I questioned why there were several trunks on display before the exit door. I was told they were part of the Holocaust Learning Trunk Project, sponsored in part by the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust. As part of the project, middle-school and high school students decorate the exterior of empty trunks to answer the question “What are the lessons of the Holocaust?” The trunks are then filled with all sorts of Holocaust material and are exchanged for other trunks throughout the districts, so that all the students can share in the lessons learned.

The trunks I saw were carefully painted and decorated with Jewish stars, praying hands, images of Hitler and of Anne Frank. The docent said that other trunks were decorated with the theme of rescuers and liberators, including Raoul Wallenberg, Irene Sendler, Oskar Schindler, Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela. I was truly impressed by the creativity and imagination these students used to emphasize what it means to have a social conscience in the face of inhumanity. Through this project and other mandated curricula throughout the country, children are learning how to fight discrimination, bigotry and bullying.

Although I came away from the Anne Frank exhibit visually reminded of the evil mankind can commit, at the same time, I was exhilarated by all the work that’s being done to educate our children not to become victims of hate. Instead, they are learning to become vigilant spokespersons for justice, tolerance and respect for diversity.

My hope is that these lessons reach a wider world, where, as Anne Frank believed, “people are really good at heart.”