Teaching about the Roma Genocide

 Inclusion of the topic in the school curriculum

The Holocaust is part of the Estonian school curriculum, dealt with in connection with the events of WW II. The subject is taught in grades five and nine and, in detail, at the secondary school level, as part of the Estonian and modern history course. In the new national curriculum, there are three mandatory courses at the secondary level for teaching the history of the 20th century, two of which are chronological and one that is ‘problem-centered’ and focused on the history of the world and Estonia in the 20th century.

The new curricula take a broader and deeper view of crimes against humanity as well as cultural identity, integrating them into different subjects (mainly history, human studies, civil studies and psychology) and cross-curricular themes (e.g. cultural identity).

The national curricula do not name any specific victims of crimes against humanity, leaving the more detailed planning to be the teachers’ responsibility. It is expected from teachers to elaborate topics named in national curricula and use diverse methodology and different teaching resources in order to help students achieve the necessary competencies, values, knowledge, skills and other learning aims and to be able to analyse historical events critically from different perspectives. Teaching and learning is expected to reflect the relevant national/ethnical groups in appropriate historical context.

Through all school levels the cross-curricular theme "Cultural identity” is taught with the aim to support students to become aware of: the role of culture in developing one’s thinking and behaviour; the way cultures have changed throughout history; understanding the diversity of cultures; the differences in living practices defined by culture; valuing one’s own culture and cultural diversity; and growing up to be culturally tolerant and cooperative.

 Inclusion of the topic in the school textbooks

The topic of the Roma Genocide is mentioned in the History textbooks in the context of World War II and the wartime crimes against Humanity. Some examples:

• 1. Teachers’ guidebook History is not only the past. The past is not yet history. Eesti Ajalooopetajate Selts, 2004, pp. 96-104 (sources and tasks about crimes against Humanity).
• 2.    Einar Värä, Tonu Tannberg, Ago Pajur: Textbook for 9th Grade Contemporary History. I Part. As Bit, 2004, p. 60 (Nazi Germany).
• 3. Andres Adamson, Jüri Ant, Marko Mihkelson, Sulev Valdmaa, Einar Värä: Textbook for 12th Grade. Contemporary History. Argo, 2000, p. 99 (the Holocaust).
• 4. The History of the Baltic countries. As Bit, 2002, p. 174 (Repression and résistance during the Nazi occupation).

 Training of teachers and education professionals

In order to increase general awareness and understanding of the Holocaust, the Ministry of Education and Research has organized international seminars in Estonia. The first seminar that dealt specifically with the Holocaust and tolerance, "How to teach about tolerance", took place in 2004. At the second seminar, which was held in 2005, teachers delivered their ideas on the structure and content of new teaching materials in the framework of the cooperation project of the Estonian History Teachers’ Association and Living History Forum of Sweden. It was co-financed by the Estonian Government and the IHRA. In January 2012 and January 2013, conferences for teachers were held in connection with Holocaust Remembrance Day, organized by the Ministry of Education and Research and the Estonian Atlantic Treaty Association. Presentations given at the conferences were converted into digital study materials.

 Particular activities undertaken at the level of education institutions

Estonian schools officially commemorate the Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27th by thinking about different crimes against humanity.