Holocaust Education in Crisis? Challenges and Responses

Recent surveys have shown that historical knowledge of the Holocaust is in decline, while related dis- and misinformation is on the rise. Simultaneously, research suggests a connection between students’ positive attitudes towards human rights and activism and their exposure to Holocaust education. Marking the anniversary of the November 1938 Pogrom, UNESCO and the Holocaust and the United Nations Outreach Programme will organize an online discussion to examine the implications of recent surveys about Holocaust education and possible responses to the challenges and opportunities they raise.

Speakers:

• Debórah Dwork, Founding Director, The Center for the Study of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Crimes Against Humanity, Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies, The Graduate Center – CUNY, United States
• Stuart Foster, Executive Director of the Center for Holocaust Education, University College London, United Kingdom
• Elke Gryglewski, Head of the Educational Department, Memorial and Educational Site House of the Wannsee Conference, Germany
• Yael Siman, Associate Professor at the Department of Social and Political Science, Iberoamericana University, Mexico City, Mexico
• Gretchen Skidmore, Director, Education Initiatives, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, United States

The event will be introduced by Maher Nasser, Director of the Outreach Division of the UN Department of Global Communications and Cecilia Barbieri, Chief of the Section of Global Citizenship and Peace Education at UNESCO. It will include a presentation by Tracey Petersen, Manager, Education Outreach Section, The Holocaust and the United Nations Outreach Programme, UN Department of Global Communications and will be moderated by Karel Fracapane, Programme Specialist, Section for Global Citizenship and Peace Education, UNESCO.