JHP Athens Conference
Bosnian TV summary
BOSNIAN TV
The two-day conference on history teaching in Balkan countries,
where some of the most distinguished historians of the region are participating,
is taking part in Athens. The Conference is organized by the Center for
Democracy and Reconciliation in Southeast Europe, non-profit organisation
established in Thessaloniki.
The Center has recently published the book 'Clio in the
Balkans' which presents the results of the four-year research on quality
of history teaching in the schools of the region and comparative analysis
of history textbooks.
Mrs.Vera Katz, who represents The History Institute of Bosnia
and Herzegovina, pointed out the problems in teaching history in Bosnia
as there are three different teaching programmes.
'The Conference is the final phase of our research' said
Mr.Nenad Sebek , executive director of The Center for Democracy and Reconciliation
in Southeast Europe. 'The next steps are better history textbooks. In
order to achieve that, we have to co-operate with ministries of education.
Misuse of history may lead to catastrophic consequances as those we have
seen in the former Yugoslavia region.
Mr.Neven Budak, historian from Zagreb, said that role of
The International Community in reforming educational system in the countries
of the region was very important. He estimates that the last intervention
in modification of the history textbooks in Bosnia was done in wrong way.
'The Inernational Community' in his opinion, 'should make additional efforts
to help improvement of educational system in Bosnia.
History is to become teacher to the nations in the Balkans.
History based on differences does not contribute to the peace process
of the region.
'POGLEDI' - FTV
The Center for Democracy and Reconciliation in Southeast
Europe has organized The International Conference which has been discussing
quality of history teaching and history textbooks in the region. At The
Conference is participating more than hundred historians and representatives
of ministries of education from Sutheast Europe.
The Center has published the book 'Clio in the Balkans'
as a result of a four-year research.
As the research has shown the common characteristics in
approaching history in the countries of the region are wrong interpretations
of the historical facts and manipulation of them for political reasons.
This has been the seventh gathering of the historians of
the region but for the first time the representatives of ministries has
been present.
The idea for the first integral history textbook for the
nations of the former Yugoslavia has been born.
Mrs.Vera Katz representative of Bosnian History Institute,
said for FTV 'Now our work is starting. We have to teach ourselves through
seminars, discussions etc, how to teach history'.
Croatian professor Mr.Neven Budak said that integral history
textbook was a solution for better history teaching in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In order to achieve neutral history stereotypes must be
eliminated.
Modernizing history textbooks and history teaching non-conflictual
visions of the future can be created. That is the only way for nations
in the Balkans to reach Europe. |
