Education on the Holocaust alone cannot combat anti-Semitism, say participants of OSCE meeting

Although education about the Holocaust is vital, educational activities in the OSCE region need to be broadened to effectively combat anti-Semitism, said experts at a roundtable discussion organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on 19 November 2012 in Berlin.

The meeting, organized in co-operation with the Taskforce for International Co-operation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research (ITF), brought together ITF experts and representatives from Holocaust memorials, Jewish museums, educational institutions and civil society in Eastern Europe.

Participants noted that, although many countries commemorate the Holocaust on a special day, manifestations of anti-Semitism, including conspiracy theories involving Jews, and Holocaust denial, persist in societies across the OSCE region.

“OSCE/ODIHR co-operates closely with participating States to improve their responses to hate crime, but we also need to think about what can be done to prevent intolerance,” said Floriane Hohenberg, Head of ODIHR’s Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Department. “In addition to reflecting on the Holocaust, students should learn how to question anti-Semitic stereotypes.”

The meeting was designed to provide a platform for experts and practitioners to discuss challenges and good practices. It was also an opportunity to connect representatives of Holocaust memorials and Jewish museums in Eastern Europe with the ITF and ODIHR to stimulate further co-operation in the area of promoting Holocaust remembrance and combating anti-Semitism.