A European workshop, titled “Passing on the Remembrance of the Holocaust and prevention of crimes against humanity: a cross-cutting approach” took place in Tirana from 5 to 8 September. At the event school teachers from Albania, Belgium, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Portugal and Slovenia joined to a group of experts to discuss the topic. Hungary has been represented by Zoltán Sallai (Ady Endre Grammar School, Budapest) and Zsolt Vódli (Sopron).

Participants of the workshop gained an insight to the challenges related to Holocaust in Europe and in Albania in particular. Experiences gained in teaching the theme in schools, relevant methodology and school programs were exchanged. The three-day program was concluded by discussions in working groups. The invited teachers have agreed that the dialogue on “Film and the Holocaust” and “The visit to an authentic place of remembrance” topics provided further inspiration to the methodology of teaching about Holocaust.

PROGRAM

14.30–15:00:  Reception by the Albanian Prime Minister in front of the commemorative plate to officially pay tribute to those who saved the honor of humanity during the Holocaust

15.00–15.30:  Official speeches

            The Prime Minister of Albania  

            Representative of the Council of Europe

            The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe

            The chief Rabbi of Albania  

            The Mayor of Tirana

15.30–15.45:  Introductory conference by an Albanian expert;

            The rescue of Jews by the Albanian population

15.45–18.00:  Testimonials

            Trios: Righteous among the nations/survivor/a leader of European youth

            15 minutes per trio: Interview of the Righteous and the survivor by a young (2 questions for each), delivery of a letter of tribute from the European youth

18.00–18.30:  A film on the rescue of Albanian Jews

Place: Museum and National Archives

9:30-10:30:    Opening Session: Welcome Speeches, moderator and coordinator:Dr. Carole Reich, Program Manager, Council of Europe

– Minister of Education of Albania

– Mayor of Tirana

– Representative of the University of Tirana

– Representative of the Council of Europe

– Presentation of the program of the Council of Europe “Passing on Holocaust Remembrance and prevention of crimes against Humanity: a collective approach” by Dr. Fabienne Regard

10:30-12:30: Peer education: each participant presents oneself and takes part in teaching the remembrance of the Holocaust in the curriculum of his country, his methods, and the way of teaching the subject.

Moderator and Coordinator: Dr. Fabienne Regard, expert to the Council of Europe, Scientific Coordinator of the programme.

13:30-16:00:   Discovery of Albanian History and Jewish heritage in Albania by the analysis of original sources of the National Archives

Prof. Dr. Nevila Nika

Room of the Master Archivist from the archive sources

9:00-11:00:     Inaugural Conference: History and Holocaust Remembrance

                        Prof. Georges Bensoussan, Memorial of the Holocaust, Paris  

11:00-11:30:   Coffee Break and discussion with Professor Bensoussan

11:30-13:30:   4 workshops to choose between;

• Film and the Holocaust: Dr. Antoine Germa

• Testimonies of the Holocaust Survivors: Dr. Fabienne Regard

• Victims, perpetrators, bystanders, helpers: dilemmas and positions during the Holocaust. From the book “The Search”. Moderated by the Anne Frank House

• The visit to an authentic place of remembrance: Dr. Alicja Bialejcka  

14:30-16:00:   Choice of a second workshop:

• Film and the Holocaust: Dr. Antoine Germa

• Testimonies of the Holocaust Survivors: Dr. Fabienne Regard

• Victims, perpetrators, bystanders, helpers: dilemmas and positions during the Holocaust. From the book “The Search”. Moderated by the Anne Frank House

• The visit to an authentic place of remembrance: Dr. Alicja Bialejcka  

16:30-18:00:   Closing Conference:

History of the Holocaust in Albania: Albanian expert