The London-based Anne Frank Educational Trust holds an annual Anne Frank Awards in July. This highly regarded education and recognition program identifies young people and educators who have shown great personal strength, moral courage, and determination to stand up for what is right. The awards acknowledge and celebrate people who not only believe in Anne Frank’s inspirational words, “It only takes a moment to start to improve the world,” but who also put those beliefs into action. The 2008 nominees include young people who have started their own campaigns against gun crime, anti-bullying in schools, career and guidance programs for young people, and a street football project to keep youngsters out of trouble.

Take Alexander Rose, a nominee in the Young Person category. When he lost a close friend in a gang-related death, he started a campaign against gang culture, using posters and T-shirts to promote his cause. He visits schools and has participated in talks with a community-led policing initiative to tackle violent crime in the community. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was so impressed that he invited Alexander to 10 Downing Street to commend him on his work.

There’s a similar project at the United States sister-site: The Anne Frank Center. Each year on or about Anne’s birthday of June 12, The Anne Frank Center honors Anne’s effort to improve the world with awards, stipends and a scholarship to students, educators, and citizens who have demonstrated outstanding commitments to take a stand against discrimination of all kinds. Nicholas Coddington is the 2008 winner in the category of Outstanding Educator. He created a dynamic Holocaust curriculum to teach his students about bias, violence, ethics, and history. The extraordinary and inspirational curriculum introduces his students to holocaust survivors, liberators, and hidden children, and has grown to include an exchange program with students in Poland.

Frankly, I am impressed.