Teaching the Holocaust: a common responsibility
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This year marks the 76th Anniversary of the Liberation of German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp Auschwitz. Every year around 27 January, the world pays tribute to the memory of the victims of the Holocaust and reaffirms its solid commitment to counter antisemitism, racism, and other forms of intolerance that may lead to group-targeted violence.
The European Parliament recognises that in Nazi Germany's death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau “a combined total of up to 1.5 million Jews, Roma, Poles, Russians, prisoners of various other nationalities, and homosexuals, were murdered”. Around 6 million Jews died in the Holocaust, approximately two thirds of Europe’s Jewish community at the time.
ETUCE member organisations from Israel (ITU), Germany (GEW and VBE) and Poland (ZNP) invite you to take part in the online commemoration taking place this 27 January 2021 in the afternoon. You will find here the programme to this e-seminar and here the link to register online.
For education trade unions, Holocaust Remembrance is also a moment to reaffirm our commitment to building an inclusive and democratic society. Teachers, academics and other education personnel have a particular responsibility to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive, especially in these worrying times where xenophobia, racism, nationalism and attacks on fundamental democratic values are rising in the world.
ETUCE supports its member organisations and all education personnel across Europe in their work for more inclusion and diversity in education via the project “Education Trade Unions and Inclusive Schools: Embracing Diversity in Education”, which encourages education trade unions to work together to ensure that teachers, academics and other education personnel are adequately prepared and supported in dealing with diverse classrooms and implementing inclusive education.
During the last ETUCE seminar ‘Embracing diversity in education’, Director Susan Flocken said “The enhancement of equality and inclusion in education is a priority for ETUCE. Governments must understand that inclusive schools are crucial to guarantee quality education and the resilience of our democracy. We therefore demand more space for social dialogue and cooperation with education trade unions on the topic of inclusive education.”
History, as painful as it is, should never be forgotten. ETUCE’s priority is to support teachers and other education personnel in their work to build a more democratic and inclusive society.