Yad Vashem and the Council of Europe have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote Holocaust education throughout the 47 member states of the Council. Avner Shalev, Chairman of Yad Vashem and Thorbjorn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe signed the agreement at Yad Vashem.
The memorandum formalises an ad-hoc relationship going back some 15 years, and encourages new and varied programs to enhance cooperation in the future. Among the items included are exploring the organisation of a Holocaust education policy forum at Yad Vashem for educational policy makers, and fostering and developing cooperative relationships between member states and Yad Vashem, particularly those states that do not yet have a relationship with Yad Vashem. This will allow for greater cooperation in the field of commemoration, research and education, including participation of educators in seminars at Yad Vashem’s International School for Holocaust Studies. Currently, the International School works with some 30 of the 47 member states of the COE.
Yad Vashem Chairman Avner Shalev said, “This agreement denotes willingness to deepen and enhance Holocaust education in Europe, and to encourage teacher training and to reconstitute historical awareness. I am pleased that the Council of Europe sees the International School for Holocaust Studies of Yad Vashem as the most appropriate professional body to lead this process.”
The International School for Holocaust Studies of Yad Vashem currently conducts some 70 seminars annually for educators from abroad, and produces material in 20 languages.