Educators from Catalonia and Portugal convened in Lisbon for an intensive three-day training program, The Holocaust as a Starting Point, an international initiative led by the Mémorial de la Shoah (Paris, France). Hosted at the University of Arts and Humanities of Lisbon and the Museum of Aljube – Resistance and Freedom, the event brought together 28 experienced teachers to deepen their understanding of Holocaust education and its broader implications for contemporary society from March 21 to 23, 2025.
Since its inception in 2015, The Holocaust as a Starting Point has fostered regional and transnational cooperation among educators. Organized in collaboration with Memoshoa (Portugal), the Generalitat de Catalunya, Memorial Democratic and EUROM (Catalonia), and Mémorial de la Shoah (France), the program aims to equip teachers with the pedagogical tools necessary to confront antisemitism, discrimination, and the challenges posed by conflicting historical narratives across Europe. Each year, approximately 500 educators participate in similar training sessions across the continent.
The Lisbon training focused on advanced topics in Holocaust education, including the Iberian Peninsula’s role as a destination for Jewish refugees fleeing Nazism and the gendered dimensions of violence and resistance during wartime. By addressing these complex issues, participants explored the intersections between historical memory and present-day democratic vulnerabilities.
As the program concluded, participants engaged in a guided visit to the Museum of Aljube – Resistance and Freedom, which provided firsthand insight into the repression under Salazar’s regime. This visit underscored the importance of safeguarding democratic values against authoritarian threats.
The training was made possible through the financial support of the Claims Conference, further strengthening international commitments to Holocaust education and historical memory preservation.