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Terezín Memorial
Pamatnik Terezin
411 55 Terezín
Czech Republic
Tel:420-416-782-131
Fax: 420-416-782-245
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Dialogues for Democracy
The Challenge
In recent years, the Czech Republic and other countries in Europe have experienced rising racism and racist violence against Roma peoples and other racial minorities. In the difficult transition from a totalitarian to a democratic society in the Czech Republic, Terezín Memorial’s director found many people frustrated and excluded as a result of the changes that were wrought and mistakes that were made. In response, many young people are flocking to rightist groups promoting an image of a better society based on “order and power.” The director feared that the programs at Terezín reminded people about the persecution of Jews in the past, but did not adequately raise consciousness about the growing persecution of other groups in the present.
The Dialogues for Democracy Questions
- What made it possible for racist violence and genocide to occur during the holocaust, and is it possible that it could happen again today?
- Could Jews and Roma become objects of genocide again? Could it happen in my country?
- What makes people become perpetrators? Victims? Bystanders? Resistors? How can we prevent people from becoming perpetrators and encourage people to become resistors, not bystanders?
- How can I be useful in preventing these horrible events?
The Program
Terezín Memorial has long provided well-respected education programs for students and teacher training workshops for educators throughout Czech Republic. Building on this success, this new program will use the story of Terezín to engage teachers and students in dialogue about the causes and consequences of the recent rise of neo-nazi and other rightist movements among youth in Czech Republic and around the world. These dialogues will take place in two-day teacher training workshops, as well as in single-visit education programs for students. Teachers and students will explore some of the social frustrations at the roots of neo-nazi movements, the new manifestations of prejudices, racism, and xenophobia, and a variety of possible ways to address the problem. In addition, the program will provide teachers with materials and tools for using the story of Terezín to foster dialogue on these issues with their students.
Through this program, the museum hopes to provide participants with the arguments and awareness to resist new forms of racism and right-wing ideology.