Holocaust education is not just about
preserving the past—it is about ensuring that its lessons remain relevant for
generations to come. In 2024, the #WeRemember Journeys project took
another crucial step in institutionalizing Holocaust remembrance, engaging
young people across Europe in a profound educational experience that combined
historical learning with personal reflection.
Through a carefully structured program,
students from 13 schools across 10 European countries explored the
Holocaust from multiple perspectives—starting with local narratives in their
own communities, then expanding their understanding through a pan-European
lens in Auschwitz, engaging in hands-on workshops, expressing their
reflections through artistic creation, and ultimately bringing their
knowledge to the wider public through exhibitions. At the same time,
teachers were equipped with the necessary tools to guide students through these
difficult but essential conversations.
Throughout 2024, #WeRemember Journeys
has reinforced Holocaust remembrance as a permanent, institutionalized
commitment. The illumination of public buildings on January 27,
International Holocaust Remembrance Day, served as a powerful symbol of this
dedication, ensuring that memory remains visible and recognized in the public
space.
For Holocaust remembrance to be truly
institutionalized, educators must be prepared to teach it effectively. the #WeRemember
Journeys project also focused on equipping teachers with the tools and
methodologies needed to guide students aged 14-18 through this sensitive
subject and for making Holocaust education engaging, meaningful, and
age-appropriate. The goal was not only to ensure that students understood
historical facts but also to help them critically reflect on what the
Holocaust means in today’s world.
Every community in Europe has its own
connection to the Holocaust—whether through lost Jewish communities, sites of
deportation, or stories of resistance and survival. The #WeRemember Journeys
project began in these familiar spaces, encouraging students to explore the
history closest to them. Through local visits, they walked through
former Jewish quarters, met with historians, and uncovered personal testimonies
that connected their hometowns to the larger history of the Holocaust.
But understanding the Holocaust requires
looking beyond national borders. That is why, students attended virtual tours
of Auschwitz–Birkenau. The
transition from learning about individual fates in their communities to
witnessing the scale of Auschwitz gave students a deeper understanding of how
the Holocaust unfolded across Europe. Seeing the remnants of this history—the
barracks, the gas chambers, the piles of confiscated belongings—was a moment of
reckoning, a reminder that behind every statistic stood a real person.
Exploring Personal Fates Through Objects
and Stories
To further personalize their learning,
students took part in object-based workshops, where they examined
historical artifacts that belonged to Holocaust victims and survivors. A
child’s coat, a suitcase, a hidden diary—each object held a story, a memory, a
life interrupted. These workshops allowed students to move beyond abstract
numbers and statistics and instead engage with history in a deeply personal
way.
By discussing these objects, students
connected with the people behind them. This method of learning made history
feel immediate and tangible, transforming a historical event into something
real and deeply human.
History books and lectures can teach facts,
but sometimes, the most profound understanding comes through personal
expression. As part of their journey, students were encouraged to process their
experiences through art—painting, poetry, digital storytelling, and
music. These creative works became reflections of what they had learned, their
own interpretations of memory, loss, and resilience.
The artistic process allowed students to
engage with the Holocaust emotionally and personally, finding their own voices
within this history. It was no longer just something they had studied—it was
something they had internalized.
Education should not end in the classroom.
To expand the reach of Holocaust remembrance, the #WeRemember Journeys
project brought students’ artistic and historical reflections into the public
space. Exhibitions were held in schools and community centers,
displaying the students’ work and inviting broader audiences—families,
teachers, local officials—to engage with Holocaust memory.
By sharing their learning ourney with their
communities, the students became ambassadors of remembrance, ensuring that
Holocaust education extended beyond their own learning. These exhibitions
fostered conversations among peers, parents, teachers, reinforcing the idea
that Holocaust memory is a shared responsibility.
More than symbols, the real impact lies in
education—ensuring that students and teachers across Europe are empowered to
learn, reflect, and share. As the project prepares for its final project
exhibition in Auschwitz in spring 2025, it stands as a testament to the
power of learning, remembrance, and action.
By weaving together local histories,
European memory, personal objects, artistic expression, and public engagement,
#WeRemember Journeys ensures that the Holocaust is not just
remembered—but deeply felt, understood, and carried forward by the next
generation.
#WeRemember Journeys is co-funded by the European Commission.
