Project Description
The project set out to address the challenges of teaching about the Holocaust in a way that avoids unintended antisemitic impacts while equiping educators with effective strategies for promoting understanding and tolerance. By leveraging survey findings, the initiative empowered educators in their critical role as multipliers of knowledge and values, fostering a more inclusive educational environment.
The survey explored how antisemitism manifests in schools, particularly after 7 October 2023, and compared it with other forms of prejudice, such as anti-Roma and anti-Muslim attitudes. While most teachers reported no noticeable rise in antisemitism, school social workers highlighted an increase in its prevalence, frequently observing it as part of conspiracy theories.
A follow-up seminar brought together teachers, students, and a second-generation Holocaust survivor to deepen understanding and share experiences. The sessions focused on defining antisemitism, discussing historical contexts, and sharing personal stories to build empathy and awareness. Trainers also provided practical tools for addressing antisemitism and other prejudices in the classroom, including strategies for facilitating open and safe discussions.
Outputs
- 55 survey participants from Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Georgia.
- 14 extracurricular educators and teachers (10 from Czechia, 4 from Slovakia), 4 students as peer-educators, 4 lecturers participated in the seminar.
- The seminar’s participants will reach around 1000 students in one school year by teaching the seminar’s results.
Findings
- According to the survey responses, educators rarely witness students expressing antisemitic attitudes directly. Instead, they often observe negative reactions from parents toward Holocaust education.
- To ensure that students are not influenced by misleading perspectives, for instance in the context of visits to memorial sites, they must be provided with sufficient information by their teachers or other educators in advance.
- Seminar participants highlighted the importance of acknowledging that antisemitism predates the Holocaust. They stressed that antisemitism has deep historical roots, existing for centuries in various forms, including religious prejudice, social discrimination, and political scapegoating.