History Education Beyond Borders. How Can We Share Our Cultural Heritage?

Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia | Metropol Hotel

How can we take History Education beyond borders? How can we share our cultural heritage? These are the main questions to reflect and work on for 6 full days at a Unique International Conference.

Educating young people is a responsible task of a society. History and heritage education in Europe and
beyond has been given a special role in enhancing the national sense of belonging of younger
generations and therefore developed a strong national focus. Such approach has proven to be not
without danger. Unfortunately, already only in the late 20th century in Europe, internal struggles in a
variety of countries have demonstrated that nationally biased historical interpretations of recent and
distant events in the past have played a negative role in sustaining a mindset of conflict.
In the 1990’s the dissolution of Yugoslavia disrupted life in the region immensely. After peace
agreements were signed, communication and mutual understanding between the different societies had
to be rebuilt. Sharing history and heritage became, as it has been before, a formidable challenge.
 

The aims of the Conference include:

- To promote cooperation among History Educators in Macedonia from all communities through the uniting banner of ANIM – the Association of History Educators in Macedonia, an extensive an inter-ethnic group of historians and education professionals
- To enhance the ongoing reform “Steps towards Integrated Education” of the Ministry of Education in Republic of Macedonia to the peers and experts under the umbrella of EUROCLIO
- To launch a sustainable platform for regional cooperation on history, heritage and cultural education by bringing together heads of international missions (CoE, EU, OSCE, UNICEF, UNESCO as well as a variety of donor/stakeholders) with key history education policy makers, curriculum developers and textbook authors
- To present and valorise the results common project “History that Connects” of the History Teachers Associations of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia by exploring the theme of how to teach sensitive and controversial history.
- To explore multi-religious and multi-cultural society in the Republic of Macedonia through the lenses of Bitola, Struga and Ohrid by sharing experiences and on-site learning with heritage preservation experts.
- To discuss with a wide European History and Heritage Education public of Education leaders about the relevance and complexity of the history of the Balkan/South East European region by stressing the history of dialogue, everyday living together and mutual understanding
- To develop a common understanding of innovative and responsible history as a tool for reconciliation, peace, stability and democracy.
- To transform the shared experiences of integrated and cross-border history education in diverse societies into tangible guidelines for educators and policy-makers