Credit: CIP/CJP
Noah Elias Jakovljević, the fourth Austrian volunteer to serve at the Jewish and Holocaust Museums of Oporto, was selected as Austrian Servant Abroad of the Year, together with two other volunteers, Maximilian Gottmann and Matthias Pany.
The distinction, awarded by the Austrian Service Abroad (Auslandsdienst Österreichs), recognizes volunteers from the 2024/25 cohort for outstanding dedication, exemplary conduct, and significant impact at their host institutions and within the wider community during their year of service.
Following the laudatio delivered by Dr. Michael Rothwell, Director of the Jewish and Holocaust Museums of Oporto, in honor of Noah Elias Jakovljević, the volunteer presented an overview of his service abroad.
Credit: CIP/CJP
The laureate, Noah Jakovljević, then received a trophy and a certificate from Dr. José Manuel Correia, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Portugal in Austria, who delivered a brief address highlighting the importance of the Servants Abroad and their missions, with particular emphasis on Noah’s family history and his role as a volunteer in Oporto.
After arriving in Oporto, Noah Jakovljević quickly adapted to his role at the museums, guiding visitors and carrying out tasks such as translating historical documents, cataloguing books, and helping to organize events. He rapidly deepened his knowledge of Judaism and developed strong skills in proactivity, critical thinking, and public engagement, raising awareness among both adults and schoolchildren about the Holocaust and the importance of promoting a more just world.
Credit: CIP/CJP
Despite initially facing the challenge of the Portuguese language, Noah made significant efforts to learn it and soon conducted guided tours in Portuguese, as well as in German, English, Croatian, and Russian. He also successfully curated a temporary exhibition titled “Simon Wiesenthal: Survivor. Witness. Nazi Hunter”, which was widely praised for its quality and professionalism.
Highly regarded for his intellectual ability, work ethic, cultural knowledge, and approachable personality, Noah proved to be an exemplary volunteer. He also played a key role in representing Austria by building strong connections with the German-speaking community in Oporto, notably through the Oporto German School, facilitating multiple school visits conducted in German. In addition, he strengthened ties between the museum and the Austrian Embassy in Portugal.
Credit: CIP/CJP
The ceremony also featured speeches by Jean-Lou Cloos, Managing Director of the Austrian Service Abroad; Marina Maier, former Managing Director of the organization; Counsellor Stefanie von Westarp of the Embassy of Canada in Austria; and David Pinchasov, Head of the “State & Society Dialogue Platform” at the Austrian Parliamentary Directorate. All speakers referred to the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney as evidence of the continued importance and necessity of the work carried out by the Austrian Service Abroad and its volunteers.
