• The 1954 European Cultural Convention highlights the need to study the history of each member State so as to improve mutual understanding; the Holocaust is a European heritage which has common roots in the European nations, and there is a European responsibility that should be accepted

• The recommendation underscores the importance of preserving collective memory by standardizing documentation of historic buildings and monuments, ensuring their stories and significance endure for future generations.

• this recommendation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe offers guidance on how history should be taught, including aspects such as historical awareness, freedom of academic research, and European co-operation on the topic.

• defines the activities of the Council of Europe with regard to the teaching of the remembrance of the Holocaust

• The European Ministers of Education, meeting in Strasbourg at the Council of Europe on 18 October 2002, officially launched the "“Day of Holocaust Remembrance and Prevention of Crimes against Humanity” in schools

• emphasizes the importance of promoting art history education in Europe to preserve cultural heritage and collective memory.

• The Assembly emphasises the need for deeper mutual understanding and for conciliatory action to prevent memorials of disputed symbolic significance becoming a source of tension in intra-state relations. It appears vital to seek consolidation of all major political forces representing different approaches when discussing the fate of such memorials, with a view to reaching sustainable final decisions based on the opinion of the majority.

• The Assembly believes that it is the Council of Europe’s duty to continue to play a major role in supporting activities which facilitate the shaping of collective memory in its member states. The Council of Europe should also create opportunities to facilitate constructive and open dialogue between historians and member states’ experts on controversial historical questions which concern several member states, and, where appropriate, about the fate of memorials exposed to different historical interpretations.

• The Parliamentary Assembly points out several measures to be taken by countries signatory to the European Cultural Convention, related to “what”, “how” and “when” to teach controversial historical issues. It recommends that the Committee of Ministers continue to support the work of the Council of Europe in conflict and post-conflict areas on textbooks, manuals and teacher training.

• The Parliamentary Assembly recalls its Recommendation 1283 (1996) on history and the learning of history in Europe and reaffirms that “history also has a key political role to play in today's Europe. It can contribute to greater understanding, tolerance and confidence between individuals and between the peoples of Europe or it can become a force for division, violence and intolerance.” Therefore, history teaching can be a tool to support peace and reconciliation in conflict and post-conflict areas as well as tolerance and understanding when dealing with such phenomena as migration, immigration and changing demographics.

The Great Famine in the former Soviet Union in the early 1930s is one of the most tragic pages in the European history of the 20th century: millions of people died in the former Soviet republics of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia and especially in Ukraine, as a result of cruel and inhuman policies and actions of the totalitarian Stalinist regime.

In Ukraine, which suffered the most, these tragic events are referred to as Holodomor and are recognised by the Ukrainian law as an act of genocide against Ukrainians.

The report honours the memory of all those who perished in this human disaster, and strongly condemns the policies of the totalitarian Stalinist regime, which led to the death of millions of innocent people, as a crime against humanity.

It welcomes the decision by the Ukrainian authorities to establish a national day of commemoration of the victims of the Great Famine (Holodomor), and encourages the other countries which suffered from it to jointly commemorate the victims of this tragedy, regardless of their nationality.

•  The Parliamentary Assembly refers to Resolution 1481 (2006) on the need for international condemnation of crimes of totalitarian communist regimes, in which it strongly condemned the massive human rights violations committed by the totalitarian communist regimes and expressed sympathy, understanding and recognition towards the victims of these crimes. It also stated that awareness of history is one of the preconditions for avoiding similar crimes in the future.

The Committee of Ministers, in pursuance of Article 15.b of the Statute of the Council of Europe, recommends that the governments of the member states, with due regard to their national, regional or local structures and respective responsibilities in particular in the field of education:

• take into account the principles stated in the appendix to this recommendation in the current or prospective reforms to history teaching;
• where appropriate and according to national, regional and local procedures, ensure that the interested schools and public and private bodies – including non-governmental organisations – are informed of the principles presented in the appendix to this recommendation;
• encourage and continue the activities of reflecting on and, where appropriate, reforming history teaching in order to create optimum conditions for development of intercultural dialogue founded on tolerance, heedfulness of others, dialogue and training as a responsible citizen capable of personal thought, critical analysis and research;

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe recommends that the governments of member States, with due regard for their constitutional systems and their respective national, regional, and local policies, circumstances and responsibilities, in particular in the field of primary, secondary and tertiary education:

• implement the principles and proposed actions set out in the appendix;
• bring this recommendation to the attention of Ministries of Education and other relevant stakeholders, in particular national, regional or local boards of education;
• translate this recommendation into the official languages of the member States; and
• review its implementation in five years’ time, and at similar intervals thereafter.

• aims to promote “various ways of passing on the history and remembrance of the Holocaust and of the resistance fighters against crimes committed by the Nazis, their accomplices and collaborators, through an updated approach suited to the new challenges facing society in the 21^st century and to political contexts, and to raise awareness of the dangers of new crimes against humanity.”

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe emphasizes the critical role of multiperspectivity in history education for fostering democratic citizenship. It highlights the need for curricula that include diverse historical narratives and encourage critical thinking, particularly in light of contemporary challenges such as disinformation and the politicization of history. The Assembly calls on member States to adopt strategic policies that integrate democratic citizenship education across all levels of schooling, promote flexible and learner-centered teaching methods, and create supportive environments for both teachers and students. Additionally, it advocates for partnerships with cultural institutions to enhance history education through collaborative projects and visits to sites of remembrance, ultimately aiming to cultivate a deeper understanding of the past and its relevance to present-day democratic values.

The Parliamentary Assembly's Recommendation 2290 emphasizes the importance of multiperspectivity in history education as a means to foster democratic citizenship and promote pluralism. It highlights that teaching history through diverse perspectives can aid in peace and reconciliation, equipping young people with the skills to engage in discussions about complex historical events. The Assembly calls for the integration of democratic citizenship education into school curricula at all levels and encourages collaboration between formal and non-formal educational settings. It recommends that the Committee of Ministers support initiatives related to history education, enhance connections between cultural and educational activities, and assist member States in aligning their education policies with Council of Europe principles.