Seminar “Methodology of Holocaust and discrimination problems teaching” took place on April 9-10, 2008 in “Latgola” hotel, Daugavpils.

The seminar was organized by religious community “Shamir” in cooperation with The Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research, The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Latvia, Ministry of the Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia, Secretariat of the Special Assignment Minister for Social Integration and Embassy of Israel in Latvia.

History teachers, librarians, museum managers and students became a target audience of the seminar. The most distinguished history lectors and researchers of Holocaust and Jewish history in Latvia took part in the seminar. Professor Aivar Stranga (University of Latvia), professor Josef Shteiman (Daugavpils University), Dmitry Olehnovitch (Daugavpils University), Dace Saleniece ((Ministry of Education and Science), Rita Bogdanova (University of Latvia, Centre for Judaic Studies) as well as Mr. Chen Ivri, the Ambassador of Israel in Latvia and Lithuania participated in the seminar. Josef Rochko, a researcher of Jewish history in Latgale, who had helped a lot in organization of the seminar, gave an interesting lecture on history of Daugavpils Ghetto.

The seminar gathered 67 participants from 16 towns of Latgale. There were a few reasons to choose Daugavpils as a place for the first seminar of “Shamir”. First of all, Daugavpils used to be a centre of Jewish life before WW II. On the other hand, teachers from small towns of Latgale experience great difficulties in moving to Riga, so they have a rare chance to participate in scientific seminar and get new professional impressions.

Celebration of Israel 60th Independence Day in Jewish community of Daugavpils became a part of the seminar. Speeches of Mr. Chen Ivri, the Ambassador of Israel in Latvia and Lithuania and chairman of the management board of religious community “Shamir” rabbi Menachem Barkahan as well as amateur performance made the evening unforgettable.

In the end of the seminar awarding of Chasid Umot Haolam from Daugavpils from Yad Vashem by Israel Ambassador in Latvia in Daugavpils Secondary School Nr. 10.

Press:

Холокост и его уроки. Cтатья в газете “ЧАС”.
В Даугавпилсе наградили Праведника мира. Статья в газете “Вести”.
Как преподавать холокост?.. Статья в газете “Наша газета”.
В Даугавпилсе жил праведник мира. Gorod.lv