Slovakia

Slovakia

TOLI’s program in Slovakia is developed in partnership with the Holocaust Documentation Center in Slovakia.

The aim of the program is to contribute to increasing the quality of education regarding the Holocaust and human rights in Slovakia. The program provides a rich opportunity to integrate national and international approaches in teaching about these topics and in understanding the contemporary relevance of this important part of modern history.

The objectives of the program are to:

• Develop teachers’ awareness of historical and current dialectical discussions concerning the Holocaust and other instances of social injustice;
• Develop teachers’ understanding of the impact of stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination at individual, group and society level;
• Develop teachers’ understanding of the Jewish life before and after the Holocaust;
• Increase appreciation for innovative, student-centered teaching methods, including extra-curricular activities and partnerships between school and other institutions and organizations;
• Promote an interdisciplinary approach to Holocaust, human rights and intercultural education;
• Develop teachers’ competences for democratic culture.

The methodology of the training is learner centered, based on the principles of experiential learning and a human rights-based approach in education. A variety of methods are used in order to stimulate the engagement of participants, their reflections and a high level of interaction: presentations, analysis, discussions, reflections, group work, videos, visits, guest speakers, survivors’ testimonies, etc.

Graduates of the seminar have the opportunity to apply for an impact grant to develop projects related to Holocaust education and social justice. The grant consists of financial support and continuous mentorship throughout the school year.

With Assistance from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany

Supported by the German Federal Ministry of Finance 

2025 Program Report

In Slovakia, 21 teachers from across the country gathered in Bratislava to deepen their understanding of the Holocaust, antisemitism, and human rights education. The program included survivor testimony, guided visits to Jewish heritage sites, and innovative training on how to bring these vital topics into classrooms. Teachers also developed action plans to create local projects with their students after the seminar, ensuring the learning continues far beyond this week.

A highlight of the seminar was a workshop led by the European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative (Alexandra Fischel, Educational Projects Officer) in which participants visited the Jewish Orthodox Cemetery in Bratislava, as well as the mausoleum of Chatam Sofer, one of the leading Orthodox rabbis of European Jewry in the first half of the nineteenth century. During the workshop, participants learned to recognize and read different elements from matzevot (headstones).

Other highlights included visiting the Museum of Jewish Culture, hearing testimony from Slovakian Holocaust survivor Pavol Kucera, and learning about the Roma Genocide (Anna Miskova, Museum of Romani Culture).

The Slovakia seminar was organized in partnership with Dokumentačné stredisko holokaustu (DSH) and ESJF European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative, with assistance from the Claims Conference (Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany), supported by the German Federal Ministry of Finance.

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The handbook for teachers Learning from the Past, Acting for the Future – An Interdisciplinary Approach to Holocaust, Human Rights and Intercultural Education is freely available for download below.

Download TOLI Handbook