A conference on the topic "History in Crisi(e)s?" organised by the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe (OHTE) will open on 5 December 2024 with interventions by several high-level guests, including Ministers of Education from Luxembourg, Montenegro, and Slovakia, as well as the deputy Ministers of Education of Armenia and Ukraine. The two-day event in Strasbourg will bring together leading educators, historians, policymakers, and youth leaders to explore how history education can help navigate contemporary crises while ensuring its integrity, amid rising political tensions and the distortion of historical facts.
With the active involvement of more than 500 participants, the theme "History in Crisis(e)?" will delve into the role of history education in addressing current challenges faced by European societies. Key sessions will examine how history can be misused in political discourse, the challenges of maintaining factual history in classrooms and the role of education in safeguarding democratic principles. The event is a firm reminder that the Council of Europe remains actively involved in the fight against hate speech and disinformation, particularly in the context of the instrumentalisation of history.
"History teaching not only develops our critical thinking and our understanding of national identity. It also provides young people with the essential skills to evolve in an uncertain and constantly changing world. Understanding our past informs the present, strengthens our identity and actively prepares us for the future." stated Claude Meisch, Minister of National Education, on behalf of the Luxembourg Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.
"The Council of Europe has always underlined the importance of history teaching as a means of reinforcing democratic culture. This was made clear in the European Cultural Convention, ratified by all 46 of our member states and celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. It was reaffirmed most recently at last year's Summit of Heads of State and Government in Reykjavik, where European leaders committed to stop the spread of fake news and the instrumentalisation of history that is so apparent today." said Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge, referring to the 2023 Reykjavik declaration "United around our values".
In a context marked by growing populism, nationalism, and global disinformation, OHTE's conference stresses the importance of studying and teaching history as a critical tool for understanding and confronting crises such as economic downturns, pandemics, and geopolitical tensions. Its highlights include a plenary session on "Ukraine in Europe: A Gap in Historical Narratives?" with the participation of the Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, and renowned historians Yaroslav Hrytsak and Serhii Plokhiy.
The importance of history and history teaching in the building of a peaceful Europe has been recognised by the Council of Europe in the first years of its functioning, as stated in the European Cultural Convention. The Observatory on History Teaching in Europe builds on the Organisation's decades of experience in history education by providing a clear picture of the state of history teaching in Europe through its thematic and regular reports. The exchange at the conference will also tackle OHTE's first two thematic reports focusing on "Pandemics and natural disasters" (2022) and "Economic crises" (scheduled for publication in 2025) and on the first "OHTE general report on the state of history teaching in Europe" (2023).
The Annual Conference is organised by the Council of Europe with financial support from France and Andorra and in partnership with the City of Strasbourg, the Grand-Est Region, the European Collectivity of Alsace and the French Government.
Press release
*Observatory's member states (17): Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Cyprus, France, Georgia, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Türkiye, Ukraine. Observer states (3): Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Slovak Republic.
