JHP Athens Conference

Kathimerini Newspaper, 5 April 2002

Article by Minister Denis MacShane,
Minister, British Foreign and Commonwealth Office

History is a pact between the dead, the living and the yet unborn. So said Edmund Burke and after two hundred years maturation, the haunting implications of his words strike me as being pertinent for South Eastern Europe. The shelves of new history books prompted by the conflict in the Balkans prove the importance we attach to history, not only to inform but also to explain and sometimes to predict, whether consciously, or unconsciously.

Throughout the ages history has often been portrayed as truth. A considerable proportion of Europe's historical treasures is the legacy of kingdoms and principalities weaving their triumphs and legends into pageantry to embroider the legitimacy of their regimes. Perpetuating the tradition of different nations writing their histories as opposing truths is not the best way for us to equip the future's citizens to understand the world around them. I believe that much of the fascination of history lies in exploring the different interpretations of history.

Children's views about the world around them come from a myriad of sources, and history textbooks and teachers are important influences. The Thessaloniki-based Centre for Democracy and Reconciliation in Southeast Europe (CDRSEE) decided to explore the impact of history teaching on future harmony. They asked what could be done through history teaching to help the cause of the region's many citizens, and not a few leaders, who have made notable contributions to peace, tolerance and reconciliation. The result was the Joint History Project, whose international conference is being held in Athens this weekend.

Right from its inception in 1998, the Joint History Project made remarkable achievements. They began with a series of seminars including "Yugoslavia: a look in the broken mirror - Who is the 'Other'?" and "Greeks and Turks: the Janus of a Common History." These were followed by discussions with teachers on common events in the region's history, including the two world wars and the creation of nation states. Various organisations across the region have shown an interest in the way history is taught, but the Joint History Project was particularly successful at bringing together scholars from across the region and creating such a co-operative atmosphere that controversial subjects could be discussed.

The way history is taught across South Eastern Europe varies enormously, but I do not believe that the common reluctance to teach regional history is sustainable. It is natural that children should learn about their national history, but as all the nations move into the EU, their future citizens may be curious to know more about their close neighbours. CDRSEE has found that in every Balkan country, over half the history taught is national, and most of the rest (except in fYROM) is European or world, rather than regional. The lack of regional history in school curricula is not a problem unique to South Eastern Europe, but I think that closer ties with the EU are an excellent opportunity to address this obstacle to reconciliation.

The Athens conference is an exciting turning point for the Joint History Project because both the academics and history teachers who are committed to the Project, and all the region's education ministries and authorities will come together to discuss the future. They will review the four years' of research into history teaching, which will be very useful information for public policy formation. The conference participants will then go on to discuss what the implications might be for the way history will be taught in the future. I fully endorse the Joint History Project's view that there must be no temptation to construct a politically correct fiction of history. Instead, history is best presented as being a subject rich with perceptions, different methodologies and interpretations. In that, History is no different from other Arts disciplines.

The Joint History Project conference will also explore the benefits of less traditional approaches to history, such as local, economic and cultural history. They are keen that history should be an enjoyable subject and that young scholars of the region should be encouraged in their studies. I believe that this is as an admirable example of a profession taking a very active role in citizenship and the education of the next generation.

"History teaching" and "investment" are hardly naturally related concepts, but Dr. Christina Koulouri, Associate Professor, Democritus University of Thrace has made a credible case for this in the Balkans where she describes developing history teaching for reconciliation as a long term investment. If the conference participants agree with her, and the Project continues its pace of work, I hope that Burke's words will not seem so haunting to the next generation.