BRIEF INFORMATION ABOUT TKUMA ALL-UKRAINIAN CENTER FOR HOLOCAUST STUDIES

Tkuma All-Ukrainian Center for Holocaust Studies is the first National center for studying and teaching Holocaust History. Tkuma has representatives in all the regions of Ukraine, interacts with many cultural and educational organizations, closely cooperates with the Ukrainian Ministry of Science and Education, has connections with scientific institutions and leading Holocaust History researchers from many countries. Tkuma main missions are:

- research on Holocaust History,

- educational programs

- creation of Tkuma Central Holocaust Museum in Ukraine.

- promotion of  inter-ethnic and inter-religious dialogue; fostering the atmosphere of tolerance and consent in society as well as contracting xenophobia and anti-Semitism.

Tkuma as a scientific center for Holocaust studying conducts international scientific conferences, publishes scientific and methodical literature, which constitutes the “Ukrainian library of Holocaust” Academic series, “Holocaust studies” scholar journal, etc. Tkuma International Academic Board includes recognized scholars from different countries. The Board is headed by Prof. Dan Michman (Jerusalem, Israel), Chief Historian of the Yad-Vashem Institute. Scholars from Ukraine, as well as Byelorussia, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Israel, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia and USA participated in five Tkuma International scientific conferences in 2001-2006 devoted to the problems of Holocaust and international understanding.

Tkuma Center has great experience in educational work with teachers, secondary schools’ and higher educational establishments’ students and lecturers. In accordance with the Declaration of Stockholm International Forum on the Holocaust a system of seminars, work program of the courses for teachers’ qualification improvement courses has been created in cooperation with the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science and Regional Educational Institutes for secondary school teachers’ qualification improvement. Tkuma staff has elaborated academic curriculums and educational manuals on Holocaust History for Ukrainian educational establishments. For the first time since Independence of Ukraine the project of non-government organization is included in the official curriculum of Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (“Tkuma” International Inter-confessional Youth Seminar “The Ark”).

Tkuma is working towards the creation of Tkuma Holocaust History Museum in Ukraine. Tkuma staff has already compiled the unique exhibits, created archives of documents, collection of scientific and methodical materials on Holocaust History, video and sound recording library.

Tkuma Center carries out public and cultural-educational projects, in particular “Tkuma Clubs” in all the regions of Ukraine, “Ukrainian-Jewish dialogue” project, “Anti-Semitism archive”, etc.

Owing to the fruitful cooperation with the state institutions, national and international scientific and educational organizations as well as its constant partners – The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Dnipropetrovsk Jewish Community, Task Force, The L.A. Pincus Fund for Jewish Education in Diaspora, Israel, The Dutch Jewish Humanitarian Fund and others, Tkuma All-Ukrainian Center for Holocaust Studies has great opportunities to carry out long-term scientific, educational and social projects, to foster tolerance and international concord in the Ukrainian society, preserve cultural and historical heritage, which contributes to the development of democratic principles in Ukraine as well as creation of the positive image of Ukraine in Europe.