History teaching has been an important area of interest of the Council of Europe for almost 70 years. Throughout the conferences, symposia, workshops and publications issued as a result of the close co-operation with education authorities, academia, teachers and civil society stakeholders, one belief is ever present: there can be no democracy without critical thinking, and critical understanding of the past is a major part of it.

The Observatory on History Teaching in Europe (OHTE) organises its 2nd Annual Conference with the aim to question what “A Future without History Teaching” would look like. The Conference also aims to present the findings of the first OHTE Thematic Report on “Pandemics and Natural Disasters as Reflected in History Teaching”, the initial thoughts on the General Report on the state of history teaching in Europe and spark debates around the topics raised.

Keynote interventions:

Talk - “Europe of yesterday and of tomorrow” by Ms Mary KALDOR, Professor of Global Governance, Director of the Civil Society and Human Security Research Unit, London School of Economics; followed by debate with participants moderated by Mr Matjaz GRUDEN, Director of Democratic Participation, Council of Europe

Case study - "Manipulation or Outlook? Russia's Use of History for the War in Ukraine" by Mr Georgiy KASIANOV, Head, Laboratory of International Memory Studies, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin, Poland; debate with participants moderated by Ms Annette GERLACH, Journalist and TV Host, ARTE

Ministers of Education, historians, teachers, students and policy makers will be present at the conference.

Full programme and list of speakers available here.

Registrations for the online event are open on Eventbrite.