Pictured from Left to Right: Richelle Bud-Caplan Director of the European Department, Yad Vashem's International School, Debbie Hartman German Desk, Yad Vashem's International School, Saarland's Minister of Education Ulrich Commerçon, Gila Nagar, Deputy D
04 June 2018
On 30 May 2018, Yad Vashem signed a Joint Declaration of Intent with the Education Ministries of two German states (Länder): Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. The signing of these agreements, in the presence of General Secretary of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany (KMK) Udo Michallik, highlight the long-term productive relationship between the KMK and Yad Vashem since 2013.
A similar agreement was signed with the German state of Brandenburg-Potsdam earlier this month. These three Declarations provide the basis for ongoing educational activities between Yad Vashem and the German Länder, including participating in seminars at Yad Vashem for teachers and formal and non-formal educators from Germany. In addition to the seminars, the agreements also strive to cultivate mutual exchanges of experience and information related to Holocaust commemoration. Yad Vashem now has formal agreements with 15 out of 16 German states, including NRW, Berlin, Bavaria and Saxony.
Since 2005, the International School's European Department has developed partnerships with close to 40 European countries and over 200 institutional partners across the continent, but the largest number of partners is from Germany – and this number is growing at a remarkable pace.
"Yad Vashem's commitment to fostering Holocaust education around the world is paramount," said Yad Vashem Chairman Avner Shalev, who signed the declaration together with Gila Nagar, Deputy Director of Israel's Ministry of Education on behalf of Israel's Minister of Education Naftali Bennett, Rhineland-Palatinate Education Minister Stefanie Hubig and Saarland's Minister of Education and Culture, The Hon. Ulrich Commerçon. "The KMK has set an example to other countries and German states of how to foster Holocaust education and remembrance in their home countries. Formalizing our ties with educational authorities and obtaining accreditation for our seminars demonstrates an ongoing commitment to Holocaust commemoration and education worldwide, and to supporting our network of trained graduates.”
Following the signing, the Ministers toured the Holocaust History Museum, participated in a memorial ceremony in the Hall of Remembrance and visited the Children's Memorial.
