Wroclaw, Poland: EUROCLIO Fact Finding Mission

Posted in Annual Conference - 2011:Krzyzowa, Poland

In the days prior to the EUROCLIO Board Meeting and Annual Meeting 2011, Executive Director Joke van der Leeuw-Roord, Senior Manager Jonathan Even-Zohar and Communications Manager Maria Kazamiaki, had the pleasure of meeting with different organisations in Wroclaw. The so-called Fact Finding Mission was aimed to rebuild an educational network in Poland and to investigate the current situation of history and citizenship education in Poland. Most helpful was the local coordination work done by Edward Skubisz (Foundation House of Peace), who managed to organise meetings at the Wroclaw Office of the Institute of National Remembrance - Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation (IPN), the Edith Steyn Foundation, the Willy Brandt Centre, Centre for Memory and Future, the Lower-Silesian Centre for Teachers, the Ukrainian consulate and the NGO Angelus Silesius House. In addition, meetings were arranged with several individual teachers. In short, all meeting were successful in raising awareness for EUROCLIO and establishing the first steps for new partnerships. A complete report of the Fact Finding Mission will be made available in the coming week.

Krzyzowa, Poland: Inspiring EUROCLIO Annual Conference

Posted in Annual Conference - 2011:Krzyzowa, Poland

More than 40 participants from 15 countries in Europe convened to the historical surroundings of the Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe for the 18th EUROCLIO Annual Conference focused on the theme “Cross Border History: Onsite Learning at the Heart of Europe”. The Conference comprised of high quality lectures on the recently established bilateral Committee for Polish-German educational cooperation and learning of history and the Image of Tatars in the German History Textbooks by Ulrich Bongertmann, Member of the Committee and VGD, the German History Teachers Association and Marat Gibatdinov, President of the History Teachers Association of Tatarstan respectively. Participants were engaged in an active round-table discussion sharing their views on best practice examples on cross border cooperation. Joke van der Leeuw-Roord, EUROCLIO Executive Director, opened the discussion presenting the inspirational role of EUROCLIO in promoting cross border education giving afterwards the floor to Hanneke Verbeek from the Leiden University, who presented the Research Project “Spoorzoekers-Vijfeeeuwenmigratie” focused on Polish Migrants to the Netherlands. Representatives from different Polish organisations, such the Edith Stein Museum and the Museum Gross Rosen were invited to the round table to share with international colleagues their experiences. The guided tour through the Krzyzowa Foundation offered a unique insight into the historical significance of this location, while the walk through the city of Wroclaw was a great opportunity for the participants to experience the local culture and heritage as well as to interact with local and international history educators. EUROCLIO is currently developing the Conference Report which will be available online accompanied with a selection of pictures and footage.