According to the European Observatory for History Teaching, a body that brings together 16 nations on the continent and which depends on the Council of Europe, only 25% of teachers answered positively to the question of whether they agreed or disagreed that textbooks are objective.

• Article in El Debate (Spanish only)

The experts studied the characteristics of history teaching in 16 member countries of the Observatory, including Georgia and Armenia.The presentation of the Observatory’s study took place in the main building of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. During the two-day event journalists, experts, historians, teachers and politicians from across Europe were invited to attend the presentation. JAMnews attended the event from Georgia at the invitation of the Council of Europe.

• Article in Jam News

These are data collected by the European Observatory for History Teaching, which depends on the Council of Europe. Spain is not only well below the average, but also appears at the bottom of the ranking: on average, 54% of teachers in all countries place a high value on learning by heart, more than twice as much as in Spain.

• Article in Antena 3, Spain (Spanish only)

How is history taught in Europe, what are the commonalities and differences in approaches to the subject, and what problems and trends have been identified? The Observatory on History Teaching in Europe (OHTE) at the Council of Europe has published its first overall report, which answers all these questions. / Aravot

• Article in Aravot (Russian only)

"The identity of history focuses more on the political and military events and the national narrative, i.e. the way in which the nation rebelled in the Greek case, established itself as a state and claimed after the Great Idea. Subsequently, it took part in the wars and all events concerning the civil war, the post-civil war period, etc. Thus, the dimension of social and economic history is lost and we are less integrated in European and subsequently in world history", says Dimitris P. Sotiropoulos, Professor of Contemporary Political History at the University of Peloponnese, President of the GAC's Board and Vice President of the Observatory for the Teaching of History at the Council of Europe.

• Article in Kathimerini (Greek only)

The study quotes the Council of Europe's "Observatory for the Teaching of History in Europe", which speaks of a "distortion and falsification of history", which has been seen as a threat to freedom and democracy not only since the war in Ukraine. Ritzer writes that social media, changing forms of communication and social upheavals pose particular challenges. Meeting these challenges is also the task of schools as a whole, but especially of history lessons. The demand for more history in primary schools is justified, write Ritzer and Ziegler.

• Article in Watson / Bz - Switzerland (german only)

What are the findings of the research conducted by the "Observatory for the Teaching of History in Europe" in 16 countries, including Greece ---- The omnipotence of the textbook that leads to rote learning --- The 7 main obstacles to the proper teaching of the subject

• Article in TA NEA (Greek only)

The latest alarm has been sounded by the first general report of the Council of Europe's Observatory of History Teaching in Europe (OHTE), which expresses the concern of teachers about the saturation of academic curricula and teaching pressure, and, in the case of Spain, the delocalisation of content, resulting from the transfer of powers, and the use of regional languages other than Spanish, which hinders the assimilation of concepts.

• Article in Éxito Educativo (Spanish only)

The frequency of educational reforms is the main obstacle that teachers face in teaching history in Spain. This has been highlighted by the Council of Europe (@coe_eng) in the first general report on the state of history teaching in Europe by the Observatory of History Teaching in Europe (OHTE).

• Article in 65ymas

“Fewer than half [of the Council of Europe member states that are members of the Observatory for History Teaching] explicitly mention the European dimension in their curricula”, says the Observatory’s first report, published on Thursday 30 November, entitled “Teaching History: Teaching Peace?”. “It is important to place the data and conclusions of this first report in the context of the current Russian aggression against Ukraine”, said Aurora Alincaï, the Observatory’s Director, who sees it as “a striking example of the danger of misinterpreting history based on the manipulation of historical accounts”.

• Article in Agence Europe

The first report by the Observatory of History Teaching in Europe (OHTE) was released last week in connection with a conference in Strasbourg on “Teaching History: Teaching Peace”. The Observatory is linked to the Council of Europe (CoE) and was established in 2020. It has currently 16 member states.

• Article in Brussels Times

At the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, the first report of the European Observatory for History Teaching, which includes Serbia, was presented, so our historian Ana Radaković also took part in the work. What is the goal of this body and what are the conclusions, our correspondent from Strasbourg Nataša Jokić reports for Magazin. (audio; 1:17:00)

• Listen on RTS (Serbian only)

A significant percentage of history teachers in Cyprus don’t see the benefit or don’t have time for training courses, say they are constrained by state-approved textbooks, rigid curriculums and too much focus on exam results to teach ‘outside the box’. The revelations came in the just-released, first-ever study on history teaching in Europe carried out by the Council of Europe’s Observatory on History Teaching in Europe (Ohte) in which 6,500 history teachers from 16 member-countries were interviewed.

• Article in Cyprus Mail

The executive director of the History Teaching Observatory (OHTE) of the Council of Europe, Aurora Ailinchaj, said in Strasbourg that the manipulation of historical facts in teaching is used to undermine democracy. "The misuse and manipulation of historical facts in education is used in many parts of the world to undermine democratic processes or domestic democratic institutions," she told reporters at the presentation of a new report on history teaching in Europe.

• Article in Sloboden Pecat

The executive director of the Observatory of History Teaching (OHTE) of the Council of Europe, Aurora Ailincaj, stated that the manipulation of historical facts in teaching is used to undermine democracy. "The misuse and manipulation of historical facts in education are used in many parts of the world to undermine democratic processes or domestic democratic institutions," she said at the presentation of a new report on history teaching in Europe.

• Article in RS (Serbian only)

The Observatory of History Teaching in Europe explains in a report what history teaching is like on the continent and studies recommendations for the future

• Article in 324.cat

The conclusions are contained in the first report from the Observatory of History Teaching in Europe. Teachers believe that lecturing in a classroom is not the most effective method, but it often ends up being the first option.

• Article in SIC Noticias (Portuguese only)

A Council of Europe report provides the latest detailed picture of how history is being taught across 16 countries and covers themes such as the place of the subject in education systems, learning outcomes and how students are assessed. The Council’s Observatory on History Teaching in Europe notes that issues facing teachers in Ireland are shared across many other countries in Europe.

• Article in The Irish Times

The first general report by the Council of Europe Observatory on History Teaching in Europe (OHTE) highlights teachers’ concerns that crowded curriculums and teaching pressures are the greatest obstacles to history teaching in Europe. Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge welcomed the observatory’s work as the latest innovation in Council of Europe standards to teach history in a way that equipped citizens with faith in their democracy and with the competences required to understand and defend their democratic culture.

• Article in Modern Diplomacy

Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge welcomed the work of the Observatory as the latest innovation in the Council of Europe's standards for teaching history in a way that gives citizens faith in their democracy and the competences needed to understand and defend their democratic culture. Teachers have expressed concern about the overabundance of educational resources available online and in print, and about the extent to which textbooks encourage critical thinking and represent different minorities and sensitive topics

• Article in Morel.Si (Slovenian only)

Once again, Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine is a case in point. For it "illustrates the dangers of exploiting history for political ends, of manipulating historical narratives in order to justify armed conflict", sums up Aurora Ailincai, Director of the Observatory for History Teaching in Europe (OHTE), created by the Council of Europe in 2020 under French impetus.

• Article in DNA (French only)

On November 30, the Council of Europe published the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe / OHTE General Report on the State of History Teaching in Europe. The report, the first of its kind, summarizes the trends in history teaching in 17 OHTE member countries, including Georgia.

• Article in civil.ge

The executive director of the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe (OHTE) of the Council of Europe, Aurora Ailincaj, said today in Strasbourg that the manipulation of historical facts in teaching is used to undermine democracy.

• Article in Danas (Serbian only)

The Council of Europe highlights the frequency of educational reforms as the main obstacle for teachers to teach the subject of history in Spain. This is reflected in the first general report on the state of history teaching in Europe by the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe (OHTE).

• Article in Europa Press (Spanish only)

The first general report of the Council of Europe's Observatory on History Teaching in Europe (Ohte), published today in Strasbourg, highlights teachers' concerns that limited time devoted to the subject, overloaded curricula and "pressures on teaching" are the biggest obstacles to teaching history in Europe.

• Article in AgenSIR (Italian only)

The Council of Europe has released a report which examines the way history is taught across seventeen European countries, including our own. The way subjects are taught in Ireland can often be a topic of debate so let's see how Ireland fared.  Kieran was joined by Journalist and Historian, Ronan McGreevy and Aodhan Ó Riordain, Labour Party TD and Education Spokesperson...

• Podcast on Newstalk

What history are European pupils learning? According to a report by a group of Council of Europe experts unveiled on Thursday, history teachers say they lack the time and in-service training they need to do their job properly.

• Article in Le Progrès (French only)

The report of the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe reveals the biggest obstacles in teaching history in Europe with overloaded curricula, limited time and teaching pressures. The most frequently used sources of education are still textbooks, teacher's notes and online historical content of school districts, least of all video games.

• Article in STA (Slovenian only)

History teachers in 16 European countries, including Portugal, believe that memorising historical facts and dates is "less relevant than historical reflection and living together in diverse democratic societies", according to the first report by the Observatory of History Teaching in Europe (OHTE), released on Thursday.

• Article in Publico Online (Portuguese only)

Le ministre de l’Éducation nationale Gabriel Attal a fait un aller-retour à Strasbourg ce vendredi pour participer à une réunion des ministres de l’Éducation des États membres du Conseil de l’Europe, sur l’éducation à la citoyenneté. L’enjeu est notamment d’apprendre aux jeunes générations à ne pas se faire piéger par des contenus manipulateurs sur internet.

• Article dans L'Alsace

Créé en 2020 au sein du Conseil de l’Europe, l’Observatoire de l’enseignement de l’histoire en Europe (OHTE) vient de publier son premier rapport thématique, qui porte sur les pandémies et catastrophes naturelles dans l’enseignement de l’histoire.

• Article dans Eduscol

Created in 2020 within the Council of Europe, the Observatory for History Teaching in Europe (OHTE) has just published its first thematic report, which focuses on pandemics and natural disasters in history teaching.

• Article in Eduscol (French only)

Pandemics and natural disasters in human history seem to have had a significant impact on civilisations over the centuries. How well prepared are young people to understand these events in their historical dimension? A Council of Europe survey attempts to answer this question.

• Article in Liberal.gr (greek only)

The first thematic report of the Observatory of History Teaching in Europe (Ohte) analyses how pandemics and natural disasters are taught at different levels.

• Article in SIR (italian only)

The past year has shown that historical debates can be used to fuel hatred, but that, when taught in all its complexity, history can actually help to ease conflict - as the Council of Europe's 70-year experience in this field shows.

• Article in Presse Agence (French only)

The past year has shown how historical arguments can be used to nurture hate, but when taught in all its complexity, history can in fact help appease conflicts – as the 70 years’ experience of the Council of Europe in the field has shown. 

• Article in Mirage News

The first OHTE report on the state of history teaching in Europe will present a general overview of how history is taught in its Member States based on reliable data and facts.

• Article in "Café Pédagogique" (French only)

To strengthen resilience against the manipulation and distortion of history and to promote peace and dialogue: these are the main objectives of the Observatory on the Teaching of History in Europe, established in November 2020 by the Council of Europe as an 'extended partial agreement' and led by Frenchman Alain Lamassoure. 

• Article in Agensir.it (Italian only)

Romania should become a member of the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe (OHTE), a pan-European institution established under the aegis of the Council of Europe, in 2020, says history professor Mihai Manea in an appeal sent to Edupedu.ro. 

• Article in Edupedu.ro

A short interview with Aurora Ailincai, Executive Director of the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe, aired on RTS (Radio Television of Serbia) in July 2022. The interview covers a brief overview of the HISTOLAB Joint Project of the European Union and Council of Europe, as well as the main activities of OHTE.

• Interview on the RTS website (minute 41' in the player)

Interview with Piero Simeone Colla (member of the OHTE Scientific Advisory Council) on the themes of teaching history in Europe, education for European citizenship, the instrumental use of historical discourse for propaganda purposes in some countries of the old continent and the role of technologies in learning.

• Article in Novecento.org (Italian only)

"We participated alongside Alain Lamassoure in the adventure of the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe that we called for in our book "Recovering a taste for the European adventure" in 2019."

• Article in Ouest France (French only)

In an interview with "Le Monde", Alain Lamassoure, Chair of the Observatory's Governing Board, former minister and MEP, calls for the teaching of values of peace and reconciliation and describes the teaching of history in Europe as a "field of ruins".

• Article in "Le Monde" (French only)

"Our ambition is both precise and modest: to draw up an inventory under the aegis of a scientific council with irrefutable independence. To take a complete, accurate and indisputable picture of history teaching in Europe, both at the primary and secondary levels, so that comments and debates can then be initiated on identical bases."

• Article in La Libre (French only, paid subscription)

"Fourth, learning history, or rather learning from history, which is too often manipulated or rewritten by the "victor" of the day to make it an instrument of indoctrination and hatred for generations. At the initiative of France, the Council of Europe - of which all the States of the Union are also members - has just created an Observatory on History Teaching. Structured as a "partial agreement", it includes only nine EU states out of 27. The adhesion of all of them becomes an emergency."

• Article in La Croix (French only)

“There is a difference between a national history and a nationalist history. History is always composed of facts and interpretation, and that interpretation is also influenced and coloured by specific contexts, be they national, local or regional,” says Gruden. “In principle, there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s in no way the ambition or the mandate of the Observatory to lead to some sort of harmonised history curriculum,” he added.

• Article in EURACTIV
• This article is part of the special report The importance of teaching Europe’s past.

Launched during the French Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (second half of 2019) and created in 2020, the “Observatory for History Teaching in Europe” is not concerned by the announcement made by President Emmanuel Macron during his speech on 9 December on the programme of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union, says Frenchman Alain Lamassoure, president of the Observatory, in an interview given to EUROPE yesterday.

• Article in Agence Europe (paid subscription)

How to teach history across Europe, and how it can contribute to a vibrant democratic culture was the question at the heart of a two day annual conference ‘History Education for a Democratic Europe’ last week, organised by the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe (OHTE).

• “History at heart – Teaching Europe’s past can protect its future”
• This article is part of the special report The importance of teaching Europe’s past.

The aim is to give force to the “Council of Europe’s outstanding recommendations and to consolidate the reconciliation that we have been able to create in Europe”, says Alain Lamassoure in this article published on the occasion of the first Annual Conference of the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe (Strasbourg 2-3 December 2021).

• Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12847

This article introduces the Observatory of History Teaching in Europe to Russian readers and explains how it fits into national and global debates on history teaching.

• История с Обсерваторией

These two articles introduce the Observatory of History Teaching in Europe to Bulgarian readers and present the highlights of the first day of the OHTE Annual Conference (2-3 December 2021, Strasbourg and online).

• Ролята на преподаването по история за демокрацията - във фокуса на нова инициатива на Съвета на Европа
• Започна първата годишна конференция на нова инициатива на Съвета на Европа - Обсерватория за преподаването по история в Европа

In anticipation of the first annual conference of the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe (Strasbourg, 2-3 December 2021), SIR Information Agency explains the mission and objectives of the Observatory and presents the highlights of the conference.

• Consiglio d’Europa: Osservatorio sull’insegnamento della storia, istruzione e pensiero critico antidoti al populismo
• Consiglio d’Europa: Osservatorio sull’insegnamento della storia, prima conferenza annuale a Strasburgo

The development of history teaching in schools has gone hand in hand with the development of the nation state in the 19th century. Today, in a Europe at peace, and while the discipline has evolved, it is necessary to reflect on how to develop an awareness of belonging to a common European whole. In this article, Alain Lamassoure discusses Europe and the challenge set by history education and presents the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe.

• Fondation Robert Schuman – The Research and Studies Centre on Europe, European Issue n°613

The purpose of this article is to present the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe to the local public and to announce its first annual conference, which will be hosted in Strasbourg on 2-3 December 2021. The conference will provide an opportunity to present the mission and activities of this new institution of the Council of Europe.

• Strasbourg Magazine, issue 320, November 2021

One year after the assassination of Samuel Paty, in homage to the history teacher he was, the French monthly magazine L'Histoire published a special issue in October 2021 presenting the reality of the profession today and the challenges facing history education. Interviewed by L'Histoire, Piero Colla, a member of the OHTE Scientific Advisory Council, draws up a picture of the different approaches to teaching history in Europe. Alain Lamassoure, Chair of the OHTE Governing Board, recalls the genesis and mission of the CoE Observatory on History Teaching.

• "Professeur d'histoire", issue N°488, L'Histoire

In this article, Alain Lamassoure discusses the culture of silence around history and the challenges facing the Observatory on History Teaching.

• «La casa de Babel», la chronique européenne du «Soir», épisode 1: «Ici, on ne parle plus jamais du passé» - Le Soir Plus

"Teaching history in schools is the primary vehicle for the transmission of values. Education is an exclusive competence of the States, but this does not prevent the multiplication of exchanges of good practices. The need for such exchanges is all the more important as, at this very moment, in almost all our countries, history curricula are being revised and debates are taking place on the role of the discipline in the training of future citizens of our free, independent nations, attached to internal and external peace". Alain Lamassoure

• Article on the website of the Permanent Representation of France to the Council of Europe

For Italian readers, this article presents the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe and the context that made it necessary and feasible.

• Un Osservatorio sull’insegnamento della storia in Europa

“The importance of culture and heritage for democracy has been recognised, in a negative sense, by those who want to undermine European institutions and the values ​​that support them. Populism was fast - and quite effective – in distorting and overtaking the notion of culture, heritage and identity” - Snežana Samardžić-Marković, Director General of Democracy in the Council of Europe, for Novi Magazin.

• Novi Magasin article

Invited by RadioJudaica Strasbourg, Alain Lamassoure – Chair of the Governing Board of the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe presents in this podcast the origin of the idea of the Observatory and its future objectives and missions.

• Alain Lamassoure – Enseignement de l’histoire en Europe | RJS 102.9 FM (radiojudaicastrasbourg.fr)

“The primary objective of the Observatory is to carry out an in-depth state of play. The choice of content, the freedom of the teaching staff, the role of the academic body, the age at which history is taught vary considerably from one country to another. Moreover, history is not taught everywhere throughout the upper secondary level.”

• EDITORIAL. Les Européens et leurs histoires (ouest-france.fr)

« The objective of the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe is neither to produce a pan-European historical narrative, nor is it to provide states with instructions on didactics. The founding idea, launched within the Council of Europe, is to have better visibility over what is being done, and to make this image public »

• ENTRETIEN. Alain Lamassoure : « On ignore tout de ce qui est enseigné chez nos voisins européens » (ouest-france.fr)

Several media (ANSA, SIR, EFE, La Vanguardia, Cadena SER, TASS, MIA, Večer, Altaveu) report that seventeen Council of Europe member states have decided to set up the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe.

According to the reports, the initiative, which was launched under the French Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, is established as an Enlarged Partial Agreement with the main purpose to collect information and make reports on how history is taught in the participating countries.

• ANSA
• SIR
• EFE – La Vanguardia
• Cadena SER
• TASS
• Altraveu
• MIA - Večer

“We see that many of today's children, teenagers and high school students do not learn the history of Europe, the history of European reconciliation. Sometimes we even see that they learn a version of history that rather escalates tensions. This project is at the heart of our Presidency of the Council of Europe [...] in this context we believe […] that it is a promising future for the Europe of tomorrow to ensure that the historical landmarks, our roots are known to everyone. The idea is neither to write a European history, nor is it to write a common manual of history in Europe either, but rather to make sure that we know well the history of our neighbors across our continent."

• Link to the tweet