• Conference 27. April

GATHERING OF EXPERTS FROM MORE THAN 20 COUNTRIES

Novi Sad 27.04.2021

MICROHISTORIES OF THE HOLOCAUST AND ITS EUROPEAN CHARACTER

On 27th of April 2021 Terraforming and Archives of Vojvodina successfully held an international conference which focused on the role local archives play in identifying and safeguarding the Holocaust records.

The conference was organized within the project „The Holocaust, European Values and Local History“ and it gathered experts in the fields of education, historiography and archival science.

You can see or download the full conference program.

Within four hours of program, divided in three sessions, 70 participants from more than 20 countries which attended the conference on the Zoom platform had an opportunity to get insight into up-to-date trends and challenges in archival science referring to the Holocaust, exchange their knowledge and experiences, discover new approaches to and methods of researching the Holocaust, as well as to discuss ever growing problem of the Holocaust distortion and the role local archives play in teaching about and shaping the culture of remembrance.

The registered participants comprised colleagues from the following countries: Austria, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Netherland, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and the USA.

The host and the moderator was Miško Stanišić, Director of Terraforming.

To Remain Faithful to the Truth

At the very beginning of the conference, the participants were welcomed by Dr. Nebojša Kuzmanović, Director of the Archives of Vojvodina.He pointed out the importance of such conferences because during these conferences we have an opportunity to talk about historical truth and safeguarding it from distortion and manipulation.

“I consider it necessary to talk about both good and bad things that happened in the past, for it is the only way to reach the truth, but we should not make a mythology of it and allow personal frustration to turn into confrontation with the other people. It is not our aim to confront each other, but to find out the truth which we owe to the victims. That truth we owe to ourselves, too. By hiding the truth we will never make a better society and that is why it is important to keep fighting for the truth and freedom.”

Serbia is an active IHRA member

The Head of delegation of the Republic of Serbia to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), Ambassador Aleksandar Tasić, congratulated the organizers on the successful preparation of the conference dealing with such an important subject as safeguarding the memory of one of the most tragic events in our mutual history. Ambassador Tasić stated that it was our aim, and the aim of the future generations not to let such events as the Holocaust ever happen again, and at the same time to safeguard the memory of these events and not allow them to be forgotten.

“The Republic of Serbia, being a member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, actively takes part in work of this organization and in this way contributes to building mutual culture of remembrance of the Holocaust victims. It is a moral obligation of each individual and the whole society, as well. The Republic of Serbia has achieved a significant progress in the fields of teaching about and commemoration of the Holocaust, the National Assembly of Serbia has adopted the Law on Memorial Centre Staro Sajmište, and the Government has officially adopted the definition of Antisemitism of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.”

Ambassador Tasić pointed out, in particular, the role of Terraforming in creating a Serbian version of the publication “Recommendations for Teaching and Learning about the Holocaust” published by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance in co-operation with the UNESCO in November 2020. .

The Holocaust, European Values and Local History
Мишко Станишић

Miško Stanišić, Director of Terraforming

Nebojša Kuzmanović

Dr. Nebojša Kuzmanović, Director of the Archives of Vojvodina

Aleksandar Tasić

Ambassador Aleksandar Tasić, Head of delegation of the Republic of Serbia to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)