crimes committed by totalitarian regimes - Ministrstvo za pravosodje

Crimes committed by totalitarian regimes
– Establish discussion opportunities for history teachers from different countries and traditions.
– Stimulate and assist history teachers’ organisations in setting up and carrying out national and
international initiatives regarding sensitive issues concerning human rights issues and history
teaching.
The project resulted in an increased awareness of, and broadened outlook regarding European
and international perspectives of history education and human rights issues, practical
recommendations, papers, teaching materials, and guidelines published both online and in print
related to human rights issue in history teaching.
Among the outcomes of the project were:
– Full training courses with lectures, best practice workshops, discussion groups and on-site
education for participants, from a range of European countries, with opportunities to:
– Share good practice related to human rights education in a multicultural Europe;
– Consider teaching material design, pedagogic technique, and professional
implications;
– Debate how to raise awareness of the importance of human rights education in school history;
– Engage with a Europe-wide survey on the impact of a human rights issue on the development of
history curricula; on practical approaches to history education and on international outlooks
regarding human rights issues;
– Take part in school visits and active workshops.
– A public relations campaign in the media in Slovenia, and beyond, on the importance of history
in schools for responsible citizenship and positive human rights education.
– A printed and online “Conference Bulletin” and other publications.
The project “Human Rights and History Education” is doubtless a good example of a successful
approach on the European level in how to deal with themes that might hurt.
4. Knowing is a tool for understanding and reconciliation
One of the most important goals of history education has been helping young people to understand
the present. It is true that controversial and sensitive topics could divide society, nations, and states,
emotionally distress and strengthen the bias. There is always fear and risk that dealing with these topics
in the educational process would open old wounds and start dividing people again.
But, on the other hand, controversial and sensitive topics are a useful tool which enables students
and pupils to understand the basic nature of history as a science: almost every historical event, process,
personality could be interpreted differently. The truth is not revealed by itself. History does not exist
until it is created. Human life is constant changing, and within this process, history and knowledge
about the past have been changing as well. This does not mean that every generation reveals new
history, but every generation reveals different history and asks different questions.
It is important to seek ways of answering these questions together. Education plays a very important
role in this process, and history education has one of the main roles. The EU should be aware of the
importance of strengthening and re-thinking the common European values, as well as attitudes towards
the violation of human rights and crimes by totalitarian regimes. As the historian and member of the
European parliament Bronislav Geremek said: “Europe is a construction of the future, which has to
know and understand the lectures of its sad history.” Knowing and understanding is of vital importance
if we want the common European project to be successful.
221