Remembrance and Peace Education
The current geopolitical situation demonstrates the need to come to terms with the past in order to understand the present and to work together for peace, dialogue and democracy. Germany and France share an eventful, turbulent and conflict-ridden history. If young people in both countries know about these conflicts and understand their historical context, they can better understand each other and learn from them for the future.
The FGYO has always supported exchange projects on history, remembrance and peace education. It is important to raise awareness among young people from Germany and France to their shared history and to encourage them to commit themselves to their future in a European context. The expansion of the FGYO's activities to other regions within and outside Europe that are characterised by wars and conflicts makes this work particularly important.
The FGYO supports remembrance work and peace education through a variety of projects. Modern formats and innovative educational methods help to make history an intercultural experience.
Nos actions 2025
The year 2025 will be marked by the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the end of the 2nd World War. The OFAJ is taking part in 2 major events:
- On April 6, the liberation of the concentration camp will be commemorated in Buchenwald. To mark the occasion, a theater project supported by the OFAJ will be presented in various parts of the concentration camp, based on the work of Jorge Semprún, Buchenwald survivor and Nobel Literature Prize winner. The special feature of this project is that 31 young people from Berlin, Weimar, Clichy-sous-Bois and Bourges are actively involved in the staging, set design and organization of the show.
- May 8 marks the end of the Second World War. Together with 8 other international youth organizations, the OFAJ is organizing the “Youth4Peace” international youth meeting from May 3 to 10, bringing together 80 young people aged 18 to 30 from 26 countries in Berlin. They will reflect on the following question: “How can young people become actively involved in peace and democracy? At the ceremony on May 8, the young people will present a “Peace Agenda” to political decision-makers, containing concrete steps and project ideas to promote more peaceful coexistence.
Our projects 2024
2024 was a great year of commemorations. The OFAJ took an active part in the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings: 14 young people from France, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, Lithuania and the Ukraine took part in an intercultural and interdisciplinary OFAJ project: “June 6, 1944 in 2024”, which was integrated into the official international ceremony at Omaha Beach. In Ouradour-sur-Glane, a fresco for Franco-German peace created by children from Ouradour and Herzbruck, a martyred town in Germany, was presented, as part of the first Franco-German twinning for the town of Oradour-sur-Glane, supported by Fonds Citoyen . Finally, on November 23, to commemorate the liberation of Strasbourg, 30 young people from France and Germany took part in the planting of over 2,000 trees. The event was presented as part of the official ceremony. So, 80 years on, young people are taking action for their common future.
Living remembrance
The FGYO and the Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future (EVZ) launched the joint pilot project ‘War(s) in Europe. Shared experience, collective memory? – Germany, France, Bosnia and Herzegovina’ in 2023.
The methods developed during the trilateral exchange of education experts in Lyon in May 2023 were tested with young people aged 18-24 during the trilateral youth exchange from Paris to Sarajevo in October 2023.
The project documentation presents the application of these methods in the context of this encounter.
Closer to history
The FGYO uses the following approaches to help young people better understand their own history and that of others:
- The multi-perspective approach and intercultural learning ensure a reciprocal view of history. This enables young people to better understand their own socialisation and culture, as well as that of others, and to challenge their own points of view.
- Individual biographies and family histories help young people to understand that they are both products of history and creators of history.
- Biographies, personal accounts by contemporary witnesses and visits to historical sites make it possible to engage with history.
- The local history of the place of origin or event allows them to experience first-hand how history is linked locally, nationally and globally.
- The artistic approach allows young people to express their perceptions of historical events and their emotions, and to work on joint productions.
Projects and Educational Materials
The DFJW supports remembrance work and peace education through project funding and training programmes.
Together with partner organisations, the DFJW also develops educational materials and supports bi- and trilateral research groups, resulting in scientific publications. The aim is to share knowledge and ensure the high quality of projects.
Some examples:
- Vademecum History and memory in international youth exchange by Ludovic Fresse and Ines Grau:
- V@demecum “History and memory in international youth exchange. The use of digital tools” von Ludovic Fresse und Sarah Neis. (Online publication soon available here)
- Glossary « Parler de l'histoire et de la mémoire »
- The fourth edition of PANORAMA addresses the question of why today’s young people should think about war.
- Research project 100 years after the First World War – 100 projects for peace
- "Une-deux // Doppelpass" teaching concept on football and history as tools for civic education.
Commemorative events
Together with institutional and local partners, the FGYO is supporting the commemorative events that are important for both countries. Projects are being prepared in Normandy, Oradour-sur-Glane and Strasbourg to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation and the 2024 and 2025 commemorative series.
Cartorik, the digital map of places in Franco-German history
How can the great diversity of Franco-German and European history be made accessible to the younger generation? Under the academic coordination of Professors Corine Defrance and Ulrich Pfeil, the FGYO has brought together 58 historians from France, Germany and Europe to present Cartorik, the digital multimedia map of places of Franco-German history and memory.
How does peace education with children work?
Sharing, discovering, remembering and understanding: a meeting between children from Oradour-sur-Glane and Hersbruck shows what remembrance work with children can be like.
Thanks to educational support and fun activities, the children were able to design a joint project on the theme of peace and friendship. The intercultural animators played an important role in introducing the youngsters to this theme and creating a reassuring space in which the children could exchange their thoughts and feelings.
Franco-German-Algerian training course "Peace education: How can the topic of colonisation/decolonisation be addressed in youth encounters?"
The third and final phase of the training is planned for early 2025 in Algeria. The first phases took place in France in Marseille in 2022 and in Germany near Bremen in 2023.
Binational training courses on "History and remembrance in youth encounters" take place regularly in cooperation with the associations Rue de la Mémoire and Internationales Bildungs- und Begegnungswerk IBB-Dortmund.
