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On July 26-27, 2025, an International Educational Seminar for Ukrainian Teachers was held in Paris, organized by “Tkuma” Institute in collaboration with the French organization Yahad in-Unum. The event brought together educators from different parts of Ukraine to exchange experiences and present the latest methods in teaching the Holocaust.

The event program included lectures, discussions, and excursions to prominent memorial sites related to the history of the Holocaust. Participants had the opportunity not only to familiarize themselves with current research, but also to discuss the specifics of teaching the Holocaust in different educational systems.

The first day of the seminar was dedicated to the presentation of participants’ research projects and the exchange of information about educational resources on the Holocaust. Thus, Albert Huitry introduced the participants to the activities of Yahad in-Unum, which has been researching and documenting the genocide of Jews during World War II for 20 years. He especially emphasized the importance of preserving the memory of the victims of the Holocaust through scientific projects and educational initiatives. Dr. Pavlo Kozlenko introduced the participants to the activities of the Genocide Museum “Territory of Memory” (Odesa), talking about the challenges and achievements in the conditions of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.

A special place in the seminar program was occupied by the presentation of the experience of the Tkuma Institute in the context of studying the history of the Holocaust and its memorialization. Iryna Nikitina told colleagues from France about the annual International Competition of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and Tkuma “Lessons of War and the Holocaust – Lessons of Tolerance”, which has been held for more than twenty years. This competition is an important educational tool for teachers, lecturers, schoolchildren and students, which contributes to the formation of a conscious approach to the study of history and the upbringing of humanistic values. Olena Burlaka analyzed how the topic of the Holocaust is presented in modern school textbooks, highlighting opportunities for improving the presentation of this topic in the context of the modern educational process.

A separate thematic block was dedicated to pedagogical challenges in teaching the history of the Holocaust. Natalia Vlasova shared her experience in using interactive teaching methods. She told how to successfully use debates, comics, archival materials and project methods in history lessons, which allows students to engage in a deeper understanding of complex topics.

The second day of the seminar began with a visit to the headquarters of Yahad-in-Unum, where educators listened to reports on acts of genocide in the 21st century. Thus, a speech by Yahad-in-Unum specialist Lila Gadiola was devoted to the study of the topic of the Yazidi genocide in Iraq. Andriy Umansky spoke about Russian war crimes in Ukraine. This was an important addition to understanding the context of modern humanitarian disasters.

Then, the participants had the opportunity to take part in an excursion to the Shoah Memorial, visit places of remembrance and honor the victims of the tragedy. There was also a walk through the Jewish quarter of Paris, thanks to which the Ukrainian educators were able to delve deeper into the historical context of the city, which became an important witness to the events of World War II. The excursions had a strong emotional impact on the participants, as they allowed them to visually familiarize themselves with the history of the Holocaust and see evidence of the war crimes of the Nazi regime.

The seminar was an excellent opportunity for teachers to significantly expand their factual knowledge and methodological skills, to establish new promising contacts that will allow them to work even more productively in the future on studying and teaching the topic of the Holocaust and other manifestations of genocide in world history.

Seminar participants shared their impressions of the educational trip:

“This is how an unforgettable educational trip to Paris came to an end! I was pleasantly surprised by the desire of the host party to be closer to us, which was manifested in the translation of text materials and presentations into Ukrainian. Of course, such a trip would not have been possible without the care for our professional growth of our mentor Igor Shchupak and the Ukrainian Institute for Holocaust Studies “Tkuma”. For which I am very grateful!”, said Olena Burlaka.

“I am grateful to my French colleagues from Yahad-in-Unum for their interesting and meaningful reports, communication, and relaxed atmosphere throughout the seminar. I am happy to have been in the cohort of those who represented Ukraine at the seminar, to have gained new knowledge, acquaintances, and invaluable experience. I am proud of my cooperation with the “Tkuma” Ukrainian Institute for Holocaust Studies and thank you for the trust and invitation,” said Natalia Vlasova.

We sincerely thank our French colleagues for their hospitality and support! And to the seminar participants – for their professionalism, meaningful presentations and active participation. We hope for new scientific meetings and continued fruitful cooperation.         

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