The Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR) is delighted to announce that Alex Maws, Head of Education & Heritage at the AJR, has been awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours for Services to Holocaust Education.
For more than two decades, Alex has been at the forefront of Holocaust education in the UK and internationally, helping to shape how the history of the Holocaust is taught, understood and remembered by future generations.
Since joining the AJR in 2017, Alex has led the organisation’s education and heritage programmes, championing innovative approaches to Holocaust learning and remembrance. As the UK’s leading dedicated funder of Holocaust education, the AJR supports a wide network of organisations, researchers and projects across the country. Working closely with AJR trustees and committee members, Alex helps oversee the organisation’s grant-making programme, reviewing and awarding funding that strengthens Holocaust education, research, testimony, remembrance and public engagement nationwide.
Alongside this work, he has led a wide range of initiatives that support educators, researchers and policy makers, while ensuring that the experiences of Holocaust refugees and survivors remain central to public understanding.
Among the projects he has led are the AJR’s UK Holocaust Map, an innovative digital resource developed in partnership with the UK government, which documents hundreds of locations across the country connected to Holocaust history and remembrance. He is also the producer and host of the AJR’s acclaimed Kindertransport podcast, which explores the stories and legacy of the nearly 10,000 children rescued from Nazi persecution.
Most recently, Alex conceived and led Remembering & Rethinking 2025, AJR’s landmark international conference which brought together educators, academics and policy makers from across the world to consider the future of Holocaust education in an era of rising antisemitism, Holocaust distortion and rapidly changing technologies.
Beyond his work at AJR, Alex serves as a member of the UK delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) and works closely with UNESCO and other international organisations to train educators and policy makers globally on issues relating to Holocaust education and contemporary antisemitism.
Michael Newman OBE, Chief Executive of AJR, said:
“Alex Maws has made an extraordinary contribution to Holocaust education over more than twenty years. Through his leadership, vision and unwavering commitment, he has helped ensure that the stories of Holocaust survivors and refugees continue to educate and inspire new generations.
“At the AJR, Alex has played a central role in shaping our work as the UK’s leading dedicated funder of Holocaust education. Through his stewardship of our grant-making programme, support for educational organisations across the country, innovative digital projects, international partnerships and teacher training initiatives, he has helped strengthen Holocaust education both in the UK and around the world. This honour is richly deserved.”
Michael Karp OBE, Chairman of AJR, said:
“Alex has been one of the most influential figures in Holocaust education in Britain over the past two decades. Through his deep knowledge, thoughtful leadership and commitment to educational excellence, he has helped shape not only AJR’s work but also the wider landscape of Holocaust remembrance and learning in the UK. We are delighted to see his contribution recognised with this well-deserved honour.”
Commenting on the award, Alex Maws MBE said:
“As a naturalised British citizen, I know firsthand how incredibly welcoming our country has the capacity to be, but my work to preserve the memory of the Holocaust reminds me that kindness towards the stranger can never be taken for granted. My own great-grandfather was murdered by the Nazis, so the significance of receiving this incredible honour amidst a backdrop of rising Holocaust denial and antisemitism is not lost on me. I hope that this announcement can, in some small way, shine a light on the crucial work carried out by our dedicated team at the AJR and by so many other treasured colleagues across the Holocaust remembrance sector.”
