Educational project The Righteous Among The Nations – The Righteous Among Us Educational project- part of the project within the active citizenship

Marta Pszczoła Szkoła: Gimnazjum nr 29 ul. Aleksandry Kraków Małopolska Poland

Interdisciplinary project aimed to the active citizenship realized by the young people attending Cracow’s lover secondary school.

Project AIMS Its purpose is to  approach to the young the fates of the people who rescued Jews sentenced to death during the World war II  help them to discover places and documents – testimonies of those traumatic events  make the acquaintance of the fates of those who risked their relatives’ lives to rescue people of different culture and religion.

Project DESCRIPTION The project is realised particularly by the young people who testify and write down the stories of the „Righteous”, and remind other members of the local community about those events. Project realized on the premises of a school and outside.

Pedagogical dimension - students understand better their and other’s attitudes and values. In the classroom preparation of the young people to the meeting with the “Righteous”- list of the questions reconstruction of historical background of the events connected to the recollections of the “Righteous” using the historical, literary and biographical source of war witnesses realization of the lesson on Holocaust arouse students’ interest in history and culture of their region construction of bonds between the generations Outside the classroom conversation, interview with the person honoured with the title of “Righteous Among the Nations” meeting with the person rescued by the “Righteous” taking care of the places recollected by “Righteous” writing down „Righteous’ ’” story into the annals in the form of an interview organization of the recollection evening with the participation of parents, teachers and students publications in the local newspaper supply documentary evidence of the collected information in the annual dedicated to the “Righteous”

Social dimension - esteem in reciprocal relations student-student, student-war witness. In the classroom arousing students’ interest in the history and culture of their own region learning of the cooperation, responsibility and communication with others learning of the esteem for other cultures, religions, traditions and customs construction of bonds between the generations Outside the classroom united efforts in looking for documents and materials taking care of the places recollected by the „Righteous” helping the “Righteous” in daily living/ shopping tidying, reading books

Political dimension - working out the values which guide the young people. In the classroom construction of bonds between the generations emphasizing the values and family policy - the correct relations between the generations of young, their parents and their grandparents Outside the clasroom collecting of documents photos, notes connected to the war Interviews cooperation and exchange of information with the young of the same age living in different countries

Ethical dimension - construction of the conduct standards in people’s relations. In the classroom learning of being cooperative, responsible and communicative to the others building the ethical attitude by showing noble and brave behaviour bringing up the young in the spirit of tolerance and human right esteem Outside the classroom on construction of the real, open and democratic society building of bonds and communication between the young in different countries dialogue and conversations of students from many countries concerning the history and the past construction of the commune Europe based on esteem and respect of the history, culture and religion

Result of the project collection and recollection of the historical background of the events connected to the memories of the “Righteous” collection of possible documents, photos, notes referring to the „Righteous” and sharing them with others history of the values, written down by students, witch guided people helping the Jews articles in local press photos annual recordings/ interview exposition

Conclusions Our students have the stories of people who helped the Jews and saved them during the World War II.They have also collected lost of photos and documents. They shared this achieved knowledage with ther schoolmates and the local society taking the World War II and the present moral view of society into account. The activ way of teaching as well as the proces of creating the historical awareness of our society and creating the new, open and tolerant Europe is for teacher a wery important aim at their work with yaung people. The involving both young people and their teachers in the project Fair People” succeeded. Our students had a chance to meet Ms Miriam Akavia at our school.

Reflection Creating the active attitudes of students means: Learing about the tolerance and democracy Shaning their knowledge cnnected with the history of the World War II that makes themthink about this difficult of cruelty and suffening Showing the only way of peaceful coexistance of all nations that is toleranc which is essential to creat democracy Learing how to be a tolerant person bearing in mind the past and theistory what is sometimes very difficult Showing the right attitudes of Polish students towards Jews ather foreigners and the ethnic minorities.