WASHINGTON, DC.- The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has won the 2020 Shorty Social Good Award for Best Cultural Institution for its innovative Stay Connected campaign, which has engaged millions of viewers online through a Facebook Live program series that examines Holocaust history and its lessons for today. Amid a global pandemic that forced the Museum’s temporary closure, the expanded digital offerings have proved to be an important resource for audiences seeking inspiration and educational outlets now more than ever.

The Shorty Social Good Awards were created to raise global awareness around the positive impact brands, agencies and nonprofits can have on society. The Fifth Annual Shorty Social Good Awards winners were announced in Adweek and were celebrated at a digital awards ceremony on Nov 19th.

Holocaust survivor and Museum volunteer Al Munzer, who was a guest of one of the most watched programs in the Stay Connected series, accepted the award on behalf of the Museum. “At this time, when we can’t gather in person, it has been so important to me and other survivors to share the history of the Holocaust over social media. We thank the Shorty Awards for recognizing our work to teach about the Holocaust, honor its victims and confront antisemitism and hate.”

This national competition recognizes creativity, innovation and the overall impact of digital and social media content. Last April, just a few weeks after closing due to COVID-19, the Museum launched the digitally-led Stay Connected campaign to provide its audiences at home a way to engage with Holocaust history and its ongoing relevance. Since then, the Museum has produced 25 Facebook Live programs with more than 4 million views (compared to 700,000 views of the 16 monthly episodes in 2019), making it the Museum’s most successful digital program. The Museum is now making the series available to Spanish-speaking audiences through Spanish captioning.

“Effectively using social media and digital tools is critical to reach new audiences, especially young people, with this history, which remains so relevant in an era of rising antisemitism and hate,” says Michelle Tycher Stein, the Museum’s chief marketing communications officer. “We are proud that the hard work and creativity of our team is being recognized with such a prestigious award. We’re also mindful that this success couldn’t have been possible without the millions of followers who are engaging with our content and sharing it with their friends. It is inspiring that even under these trying times, people see how Holocaust history can inform their choices and how they view their role in building stronger communities.”