Spark Interactive, the mobile learning experience by Legacy of Light Goldberg Institute for Holocaust Education, joined hundreds of San Diego's leading changemakers, educators, artists, philanthropists and community leaders at WAVES Festival 2026 in Balboa Park. Hosted by the Prebys Foundation, the two-day festival brought together voices from across sectors to explore the future of well-being, arts, vision, entrepreneurship, and science through meaningful conversations and interactive experiences.
Throughout the festival, Spark Interactive welcomed a wide range of attendees aboard the state-of-the-art mobile learning experience, providing guided tours to educators, nonprofit professionals, philanthropic leaders, community advocates and other festival participants. These personalized tours allowed visitors to explore the interactive exhibits, engage with powerful stories and experience firsthand how Spark Interactive connects the lessons of Holocaust history to contemporary issues facing society today.
The opportunity to participate in WAVES was especially poignant given the festival's focus on building stronger communities through innovation, collaboration, and human connection. These same principles are at the heart of LLGI and Spark Interactive's mission. The experience goes beyond history, helping participants examine how prejudice develops, how individuals and communities respond to injustice, and how each person can play a role in creating a more inclusive future.
A firsthand look at a new approach to Holocaust education
As attendees from across San Diego's nonprofit, education, arts and philanthropic sectors toured the mobile classroom, many were introduced to Spark Interactive's unique model for the first time. Conversations throughout the event highlighted the growing need for educational experiences that equip young people not only with knowledge, but with the skills to think critically, evaluate information and engage thoughtfully with the world around them.
The guided tours also created opportunities for meaningful dialogue among visitors, sparking conversations about the importance of historical understanding, media literacy, civic engagement and the responsibility individuals have to stand against hate and discrimination. By bringing together people from diverse backgrounds and professions, Spark Interactive demonstrated how the lessons of the Holocaust can serve as a powerful foundation for discussions about the challenges and opportunities facing communities today.
By participating in WAVES Festival 2026, Spark Interactive continued its mission of bringing history, education and community dialogue together in new and impactful ways. As the mobile experience travels throughout San Diego County and beyond, opportunities like WAVES help ensure that the lessons of the past continue to spark conversations that shape a more informed, compassionate and engaged future.