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Peace Programs Holocaust & Peace

— Peace Programs Holocaust & Peace

The Holocaust & Peace: Lessons from the Past for the Future initiative is a long-term educational program designed to strengthen peace education, critical thinking, and inclusive historical understanding within the formal education system of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Developed in response to persistent ethno-centric narratives, segregated schooling practices, and the absence of structured peace education, the initiative seeks to equip younger generations with the knowledge and values necessary to foster tolerance, human rights, and non-violence.

Implemented by PCRC in partnership with local and international civil society organizations, educators, and the Jewish Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the initiative brings together teachers and experts from diverse ethnic and regional backgrounds. Through consultations, workshops, and collaborative development processes, stakeholders worked to identify shared educational priorities and integrate best practices in Holocaust education, prevention of mass atrocities, and peacebuilding.

The central outcome of this process is the teaching manual Holocaust & Peace: Lessons from the Past for the Future—a practical, locally developed resource for educators working with primary, secondary, and early university-level students. The manual encourages critical engagement with the Holocaust, World War II, and the Bosnian War (1992–1995), while also addressing contemporary issues such as antisemitism, Islamophobia, discrimination, and the promotion of democratic values and human rights.

In 2023, the manual was officially integrated into the public school curriculum of Sarajevo Canton, marking a significant milestone in advancing peace education within a highly decentralized and fragmented education system. With the potential to reach over 400,000 students annually, the initiative now focuses on expanding its implementation to additional cantons, strengthening teacher capacities, and advocating for broader institutional adoption.

Through its activities, the initiative aims to:

  • Promote inclusive, evidence-based approaches to teaching sensitive and contested histories.
  • Strengthen educators’ capacities to address difficult topics in constructive and responsible ways.
  • Foster critical thinking, empathy, and respect for diversity among students.
  • Contribute to long-term reconciliation, social cohesion, and democratic resilience in Bosnia and Herzegovina.