OSCE and Yad Vashem publish guidelines for teachers to commemorate Holocaust victims
BRUSSELS/JERUSALEM, 27 January 2006 - Marking the first international Day for Holocaust remembrance, Yad Vashem and the Organization for Security Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) have published guidelines for educators on commemoration for Holocaust Remembrance Days.
The guidelines were developed as a practical tool for educators in order to support their efforts to plan and organize projects or commemorative events in order to ensure that the memory of the victims of the Holocaust will be maintained and continued in the future. The guidelines will be launched on January 27, at a commemoration ceremony for the victims of Holocaust, hosted by the Belgian OSCE Chairmanship in Brussels.
"We are very pleased to be a part of this project," said Avner Shalev, the Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate.
"Based on the extensive experience of the International School for Holocaust Studies at Yad Vashem in working with teachers, we understand that many of them still lack practical tools and techniques to address the Holocaust in their schools. These guidelines provide a plethora of examples of Holocaust-related commemoration and education projects. Our hope is that they will empower educators to explore this complex and difficult subject matter with their students and in their communities."
The Director of the OSCE/ODIHR, Ambassador Christian Strohal added: "It is vital for OSCE States to provide today's generation with the ability to comprehend the meaning of the Holocaust. While its horrors must be a lesson to humanity, manifestations of anti-Semitism, hate or intolerance continue to threaten stability and threaten security throughout our region."
Currently available in four languages (English, Russian, French and Flemish), the guidelines will be translated into additional languages over the coming months. They will be available for downloading on both the OSCE and Yad Vashem websites and in hard copy with an accompanying CD of best practice examples.
The guidelines are part of a larger joint project between the 55-member state OSCE and Yad Vashem. Additional guidelines for educators on how to combat anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance in schools are currently being developed.
For more information please contact:
Yad Vashem
Estee Yaari +972 2 644 3412