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“European Holocaust History, Human Rights and Tolerance Today”

On 29 November 2010, the seminar for teachers “Training Teacher-Trainers: European Holocaust History, Human Rights, and Tolerance Today” was launched.

Anne E. Derse, the American ambassador to Lithuania, and Markas Zingeris, the director of the Vilnius Gaon State Jewish Museum, welcomed the participants and guests.  

Valstybinio Vilniaus Gaono žydų muziejaus direktorius Markas Zingeris, Jungtinių valstijų ambasadorė Lietuvoje Anne E. Derse, Vašingtono Holokausto memorialinio muziejaus specialusis asistentas edukacinėms programoms Stephenas Feinbergas, Amerikos žydų ko 

 

Markas Zingeris, director of the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum, Anne E. Derse, American ambassador to Lithuania, Stephen Feinberg, special assistant for educational programmes of the Washington Holocaust Memorial Museum, and Andrew Baker, director for international affairs of the American Jewish Committee, during the opening ceremony of the seminar

  

Photographer Aleksandras Balčiūnas

 Welcoming remark by Ambassador Anne E. Derse at the Opening of the Holocaust Education Seminar:

Ladies and gentlemen, honored guests.  I am pleased to welcome you today to the first of three seminars on "European Holocaust History, Human Rights and Tolerance Today" to be offered in Lithuania for teacher trainers from 2010 to 2012.

I would like first to thank the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the International Task Force on Holocaust Education, the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum, the Lithuanian Ministry of Education Science, and the International Commission on the Evaluation of Nazi and Soviet Crimes for the kind support and cooperation that made this seminar possible.

I would like to thank all the lecturers and facilitators, some from very far away, who also have kindly agreed to contribute their time and great expertise to support this important initiative.

But most of all, I would like to thank the teacher-trainers who have elected to take a week of valuable time from busy academic schedules to expand their expertise in the teaching of European Holocaust history and its implications for human rights and tolerance today.  We appreciate the commitment you are showing by your presence to promote core values that are essential to democratic societies: tolerance, and respect for the human rights of all people.

We are all here today because we know that we have a responsibility, as citizens of free, democratic nations, to defend and advance these values.  And we also know, sadly, that too often, we have failed.  There is no better example --- no more tragic, catastrophic example -- than the Holocaust, a calculated, state-sponsored campaign to murder an entire people.  This ideology of hate resulted in the deaths of 60 million people of both Jewish and non-Jewish origin.  

Why and how did the Holocaust happen?  What, and how, can we teach our future leaders and citizens to ensure it never happens again?  These are the central questions for this seminar.  I hope you will find the coming week valuable and enlightening. I am looking forward to hearing your evaluations and impressions at the end of the seminar.  

I wish you all great success, and thank you all again for your commitment.  Have a good and interesting seminar! 

 Opening speech by Markas Zingeris:

Your Excellency Ambassador of the United States of America Ms Anna Derse,

Your Excellencies Ambassadors,

Honorary Members of the Seimas and Government Officers,

Dear participants in the Holocaust Education Programme

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This museum, as you know, used to be a Jewish Drama Theatre.

Unfortunately, not only the Lithuanian Jewish Theatre does not exist anymore: there are very few Jews left, especially those from the pre-war times and their descendants. This museum is one of a very few places where you can their centuries-long history. The history of the Lithuanian Jews is the past of many nationals of the USA, Israel and other countries. Moreover, the history of the Lithuanian Jews, the history of European Jews is not only the past but also the present. It is obvious that it is not only the history of the Jews themselves, but also the history of Europe, also Lithuania, and, partly, the history of Russia and America.  

Perhaps because of that, the subject of the Holocaust in Lithuania is often an object of political manipulations. On the internet in Lithuania, commentaries about the Holocaust abound. Everyone knows that some of them are full of hatred both of the Holocaust victims and their descendants. Distortions of the Holocaust, silence on the subject and loose interpretations raise heated discussions in Lithuania and abroad. I think that nowadays our goal is to make the voice of historians heard in this discussion and that the public space in Lithuania is not to be given over to instigators of hatred.

It we do not take this position in public discourse we will be pushed out by those who deny and distort the Holocaust, and the ideologies of hatred will prevail public space. Therefore, it is very important how the Holocaust is embraced both by teachers and students. I believe that this project will contribute to the education of a more humane society in Lithuania.

Notwithstanding the implementation of significant educational initiatives such as the Presidential Commission for Historical Research, the Remembrance House (Atminties namai), sometimes the public space is pervaded by profane voices as though no educational measures had been taken from the time of the reestablishment of independence. Can historians and academics, educators and teachers firmly agree among themselves on the basic truths of history when over three years the civilization that existed in Lithuania for six hundred years and for almost two thousand years in Europe was destroyed?

I hope that we are taking useful although a little bit belated initiative. This is necessary not only because Lithuania must have competent history teachers. The silence in Paneriai also demands it: in the rustling pine trees, the question whether Lithuania has finally realized what really happened and what the consequences are can be heard.

I believe that lessons like this can broaden your knowledge and give food for thought as individuals and as professionals.

I cherish hopes that at the end of the session next spring the participants in the seminar will inform the Centre for Tolerance by available means how they succeeded in applying the knowledge they gained during the seminar in their work.

I express my warmest thanks to our partners from the American Embassy and my colleagues museum workers, to all who supported, organized and implemented this project.

I wish you all success in doing this interesting and meaningful work.

 

Modified: 11/26/2010
Information
2017.03.01

 

 If you want to order a guided tour or educational programme please contact us in advance:
tel. 
 +370 60163612, 
email:
 muziejus@jmuseum.lt

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If you want to order an educational programme, please contact us at:  +370 5 212 0112,
+370 6 8986 191 or via email
muziejus@jmuseum.lt

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   Tolerance Center 
(Naugarduko St. 10/2) 
working hours:

Monday,Thursday: 10:00-18:00
Tuesday, Wednesday: 10:00-18:00
Friday: 10:00-16:00
Saturday-closed,
Sunday: 10:00-16:00

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  Holocaust Exposition 
(Pamėnkalnio St. 12) 
working hours:

Monday-Thursday: 9:00-17:00
Friday: 9:00-16:00
Saturday-closed
Sunday: 10:00-16:00

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  Memorial Museum of Paneriai
(Agrastų St. 15, Aukštieji Paneriai)
working hours:
Monday-closed
Tuesday–Sunday 9:00-17:00
From October until May the Memorial Museum is open by appointment only.

If you are interested in visiting the museum/the memorial with a tour guide, please contact us at least a day in advance at
+370 699 90 384  or via email mantas.siksnianas@jmuseum.lt

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© Penki Kontinentai 2006. All rights received.