The Paul Seideman Scholarship

The Paul Seideman Scholarship (Years 7–13)

The Paul Seideman Scholarship exists to encourage young people across New Zealand to engage creatively with Holocaust history and remembranceBy inviting students to respond through essays, poetry, art, film, and music, the awards affirm that remembrance is not only about learning about the past, but about giving voice to empathy, reflection, and moral courage in today’s world.

2026 entries now open

Calling all Year 7 to 13 students across New Zealand - entries for the Paul Seideman Scholarship 2026 are officially open.

  • Submissions close: 25 September 2026, 5:00 PM

  • Winners announced: 6 October 2026

The 2026 topic

Evaluate the extent to which ordinary citizens and leaders have a moral responsibility to act as the architects of a just society.

Building a safe, fair world free of antisemitism and discrimination does not happen by accident; it requires intentional design. Dismantling the Nazi regime required global leadership, while surviving the concentration camps and rebuilding lives demanded extraordinary resilience.

In your submission, evaluate this concept by exploring one or more of the following ‘building blocks’:

  • The Foundations: How the ‘upstander ethos’ of ordinary people creates the foundation for a safe community today.

  • The Warning Signs: How we can spot the cracks of prejudice, fascism, or antisemitism before they damage society.

  • The Pillars: Leadership, democracy, and the responsibilities of citizenship in the 21st century.

Format and entry requirements

We welcome creative, multi-disciplinary submissions. Entries may be submitted via email or post in any of the following formats: an essay, poem, short film, visual art piece, musical composition, or multimedia expression.

Written and spoken limits

  • Years 7–8: 500 word limit (3 to 5 minutes spoken length)

  • Years 9–10: 750 word limit (3 to 5 minutes spoken length)

  • Years 11–13: 1,000 word limit (3 to 5 minutes spoken length)

  • Video and music submissions: Maximum duration of 3 minutes, accompanied by a maximum 2 minute spoken introduction (to be presented if the entry wins).

Required submission information

Every entry must explicitly include the following details:

  • Student information: Full name, current school year, email address, school name, and your teacher's name and email address.

  • Parent/Guardian information: Full name and email address.

Please note: Only one entry will be accepted per student. All physical artwork posted to the Holocaust Centre must include prepaid return shipping so it can be safely sent back to you.

Categories and prizes

The scholarship is awarded across three age brackets:

Years 7–8, Years 9–10, and Years 11–13.

Winners in each category will receive:

  • A $500 scholarship and a framed certificate.

  • Return flights to Wellington for the student and one parent or guardian.

  • Overnight hotel accommodation in Wellington (for winners travelling from outside the region).

Critical requirement: All entrants must be available to travel to Wellington to personally present their work and receive their prize at the official International Holocaust Remembrance Day function at Parliament on 27 January 2027.

How to submit

Please direct all entries, digital submissions, and scholarship queries to our Education Director, Kristopher Clancy:

Celebrating the 2025 scholarship winners

The 2025 Paul Seideman Scholarship winners were celebrated at a prestigious ceremony in Wellington on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, 27 January 2026. Hosted by Hon. Chris Bishop, the event marked 81 years since the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

The judging committee was immensely impressed by the high calibre of entries submitted in honour of Paul Seideman z"l. Students presented their winning works to a distinguished audience, including MPs, councillors, members of the diplomatic corps, Holocaust survivors and their descendants, and interfaith leaders.

Congratulations to our latest winners:

  • Years 7–8: Maanvir Chawla (Year 7, Papatoetoe Intermediate School) for his poem.

  • Years 9–10: Zara Beck (Year 10, St Peter's School – Cambridge) for her art piece, 'The Tree of Remembrance'.

  • Years 11–13: Kitty Grotrian (Year 11, Queen Margaret College) for her musical composition, 'Woven Threads'.

The legacy of Paul Seideman z"l

Holocaust survivor Paul Seideman was a tireless supporter of Holocaust education and remembrance in New Zealand. As a young Czech Jew, Paul survived the Lodz Ghetto, multiple concentration and labour camps-including Auschwitz-and a death march. He was liberated at Dachau aged 17, eventually emigrating to Australia and then New Zealand.

To mark the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 2015, Paul funded an annual competition to encourage New Zealand students to engage deeply with Holocaust studies. Originally established as a 500-word essay competition, the initiative has grown into the Paul Seideman Scholarship, engaging hundreds of students nationwide across a diverse range of artistic and academic mediums.

The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand is honoured to carry on Paul’s vibrant legacy, ensuring his vision and generosity continue to inspire future generations.

Watch Paul Seideman’s story.

(Pictured L to R: Winners Susannah Hansen, Year 10, of Woodford House, Havelock North, and Jessica Strick, Year 10 of St Peter’s College, Cambridge, with Hon Maggie Barry and Paul Seideman z”l. 2014 Inaugural winners awarded on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, 27 January 2015
Photography by Woolf)

Enquire about the scholarship

If you are a teacher or student interested in participating in the next scholarship cycle, or if you would like more information on our educational activities, please contact our Education Director, Kristopher Clancy at educdirector@holocaustcentre.org.nz