Serbia

Since 2021, TOLI has organized yearly seminars for teachers in Serbia, in partnership with Terraforming.  Groups of 30-35 teachers from across the country have the opportunity to deepen their knowledge about the Holocaust and to work together to find meaningful ways of bringing this important part of history to their students. The seminar also addresses local histories, experiences and narratives, as well as present day human rights violations and discrimination.

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 of Holocaust education and Human Rights education
  • Understand and counter Holocaust distortion.

The seminar incorporates a methodology designed to ensure the basic principles of active participation and holistic learning throughout the program. The methodology is learner centered, based on the principles of experiential learning and a human rights-based approach in education. Special consideration is given to ensuring a balanced approach between cognitive and emotional elements and reflection time; balance between the information about the horrors of the Holocaust and information about the life of Jewish people before and after the Holocaust, for a more complex narrative; balance between reflection and action (learning is not enough, acting upon what was learned is the key to social change).

Following the seminar, teachers will receive support to put into practice what they learned and develop local projects with their students, as well as to engage in international partnerships with teachers from other countries who attended TOLI seminars.

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. Every year, about 10 educators from Serbia benefit from the TOLI Impact Grant Program.

Contact

For more information about The Olga Lengyel Institute for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights (TOLI), please contact info@tolinstitute.org

TOLI is located at 58 East 79th Street in Manhattan. (get directions)