As a result of recent developments within our contemporary historical culture, high school education about the Second World War is faced with several new challenges. As both the cultural diversity of our society and the temporal distance to the events of the war have grown, the question can be asked to what extent the lessons about the war can still connect to contemporary pupils and their increasingly diverse backgrounds and perspectives. At the same time, the Dutch government appears to consider education as a means to sustain the remembrance of these events. Within the context of educational reform, policy makers call attention to both interdisciplinarity and civic education as a response several societal issues, which implies that lessons about the Second World War should also play a role therein.
During the expert meeting 'The Topicality of the Second World War' ('De Actualiteit van de Tweede Wereldoorlog'), held at the National Holocaust Museum in Amsterdam on March 14, 2017, these and other important challenges to will be discussed. How do we deal with the moral dimensions of learning about the Second World War, and how do we connect to the multiple backgrounds and perspectives found within a culturally diverse classroom? The meeting aims to stimulate the exchange of knowledge, insights and experiences between high school educators, heritage professionals, didacticians and history scholars.
More information about the event can be found here. People who would like to attend the event can register here.