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.
2024, une année de commémorations
2024 a été une grande année de commémorations. L’OFAJ a participé activement aux célébrations du 80ème anniversaire du débarquement en Normandie : 14 jeunes de France, d’Allemagne, des États-Unis, du Royaume-Uni, de Lituanie et d’Ukraine ont participé à un projet interculturel et interdisciplinaire de l’OFAJ : « Le 6 juin 1944 en 2024 » qui a été intégré dans la cérémonie officielle internationale à Omaha Beach. À Ouradour-sur-Glane, une Fresque pour la paix franco-allemande réalisée par des enfants issue d’Ouradour et de Herzbruck, ville Martyre en Allemagne, a été présenté, et ceci dans le cadre du premier jumelage franco-allemand pour la ville d’Oradour sur Glane, soutenu pour sa part par le Fonds Citoyen . Enfin, le 23 novembre, lors des commémorations de la libération de Strasbourg, 30 jeunes de France et d’Allemagne ont participé à la plantation de plus de 2 000 arbres. Cela a été présenté par une performance de la cérémonie officielle. C’est ainsi que 80 ans après, des jeunes agissent pour leur avenir commun.
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.
Youth for Peace
To commemorate the end of the First World War, the international youth meeting "Youth for Peace - 100 years after the First World War, 100 ideas for peace" brought together young people from 48 countries in Berlin from 14 to 18 November 2018. The participants came from Germany, France, EU countries, EU candidate countries and neighbouring countries in the south and east of the EU.
The Ideas for Peace, which the young people proposed to the German and French heads of state.
The follow-up project „Youth for Peace – Global tools, local action“ brought together young people from 21 countries in 2019 and 2020 to share their ideas for peace. On 8 May 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, the participants published a mosaic of videos and sent their wishes for peace and solidarity to the world. The project also resulted in 8 videos in which the young people talk about peace, history and challenges of the past and future.
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.
