Professionals, diplomats and teachers from 23 countries gathered virtually November 19 for the U.S. Department of State’s first in a series of international webinars on Holocaust education. The session, “Policy and Practice: Trans-Atlantic Avenues for Holocaust Education,” was hosted by U.S. Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues Cherrie Daniels and featured experts from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). The Policy and Practice webinar focused on practical ways to implement the IHRA Recommendations for Teaching and Learning About the Holocaust and their relationship to combatting rising anti-Semitism, as well as Holocaust distortion and denial, in today’s world. Panelists examined how policy makers and practitioners – international diplomats, teachers, museum curators, educators, administrators and others – can work together so that future generations develop the critical thinking skills needed to apply the lessons of the Holocaust.
The recommendations were adopted by IHRA’s 34 member countries at the Luxembourg Plenary in December 2019 and are available from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance with additional guidelines for teaching available from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum .