London, 8-9 March 1999

Summary of the Meeting of the Working Group of the Task Force, 8-9 March 1999, in London

Meeting Opening

Jeremy Cresswell, Chairman (UK) welcomed all delegates on behalf of the Foreign Secretary, particularly those from France (observers), the Netherlands and Poland who were attending for the first time.

Review of Progress

Directory/survey of International Holocaust education: many errors in addresses, etc which had to be corrected; US Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) may make it available in other languages but believed it appropriate for member countries to provide translations.

Calendar of events  difficult to find out what was happening in a number of countries. The USHMM was happy to be the central point for information.

A calendar of events' contact to be designated from each country delegation to make sure the relevant information is collected and transmitted. The formation of a sub committee with specialist input to carry forward the survey. A 'survey' contact to be designated from each country delegation to gather curricula and other educational information and send on to USHMM.

Archival Website Guidance

Those contributing countries/institutions who had not commented should be asked whether they needed any help in mounting their information on the website. The home page of the website would be redrafted to help people to access records by links and pointers, not by reproducing the information. The French 'observer' was tasked to pursue putting the 1995 Paris conference record on the website.

Holocaust Education Guidelines

In discussions it was agreed that this could be disseminated in a variety of ways, e.g. used as a discussion document at education conferences/ seminars etc; send with letters explaining our Liaison Projects concept send to museums/NGOs/Institutions for further distribution as they see fit send to ministries of Education. Chair to circulate the education guidelines to Task Force Members.

Annual Holocaust Educators' Conferences

There was unanimous support for Task Force "moral sponsorship" of the Yad Vashem conference in October 1999. The offer to other countries to host future conferences had been noted. There was no real conflict between the Yad Vashem conference and the Stockholm conference. Future requests for Task Force sponsorship will be treated on an ad hoc basis. Important that sponsorship not be devalued by sponsoring too many conferences/events or any of dubious quality.

Holocaust Remembrance Day

Mr. Smith (Beth Shalom, UK) opened the discussion by describing consideration of a British day. He noted that in Europe it was difficult to find a single date equally meaningful and appropriate to all. The overriding principle was that any such day should be a day not just of remembrance, but also of education. Mr. Cresswell (Chair, UK) said UK Government Ministers would be consulted soon on this.

In addition to calling on Governments for support, it was suggested that the Task Force also approach Parliaments, the Council of Europe and the European Parliament, as means of disseminating and supporting a Commemoration Day.

Each Task Force delegation should nominate an individual as a coordinator for this subject. Using the Stockholm Conference as a target for achieving progress could be a productive idea. Subject to the views of the Swedish Government, the Task Force could channel ideas to the Stockholm Conference.

Endowment Fund

Sweden supported the idea of an Endowment Fund and had provided a model agreement for the Fund on the assumption that the Fund would be headquartered in Stockholm. If the Task Force agreed, the Swedish government was prepared to launch the Fund.

Creation of the fund could be announced at the Stockholm conference. Further discussion required on this subject including the likely size of the fund.

A new paper should be prepared bringing together the various ideas expressed by the Task Force with a view to discussing the idea further at the next working group meeting.

Professor Bauer and the Swedish delegation agreed to work on a new draft of the fund paper including more detail on objectives etc. It was recognized that difficulties on the institutionalization aspects of the fund concept need to be clarified and more details needed of what the fund will be used for and what it will not be used for must also be clear to tall Task Force members.

Field Missions/Liaison Projects

Mr. Freeman (US) said Field Missions should be a primary vehicle for Task Force outreach to other countries. The US redrafted Field Missions paper had borrowed considerably from Yad Vashem's original draft but had broadened the concept far beyond teacher training. He visualised a series of missions starting in summer 1999. Missions would be made up of ideally three member countries reflecting diplomatic and cultural ties with the country to be visited.

Missions should only visit countries that have invited them to do so. To date the Czech Republic has expressed an interest as have (informally) the Argentines.

Missions should form the heart of Task Force activities but should be developed further with a flexible approach.

Responsibility for organizing missions would rest with the Chair or the Chair can nominate a mission leader.

Essential that work in this field has already been done and what level of knowledge teachers have about the Holocaust in the proposed country.

Considerations When Developing Concept of Missions

Stockholm Conference

The Swedish delegation introduced their concept paper on the Stockholm conference; they proposed to circulate a draft agenda by next meeting. Organizers would not expect to have high level politicians for the whole conference. This conference different to London and Washington conferences, less controversial addressing the question of politicians meeting experts. Possibly have a seminar on responsibilities of politicians.

Task Force members gave unanimous thanks to Sweden and Prime Minister Persson for this conference. Task Force governments should alert senior ministers to the conference. The Swedes would draw together the content of the conference but look to the Task Force for expertise.

Any Other Business

Mr. Cresswell (Chair, UK) noted there were no set rules on chairmanship. There was a general feeling that two further meetings should be held this year. In the light of informal discussions he suggested that the UK should retain the chair until the end of June, and hold a meeting in late June in London. Thereafter the chair would pass to Israel who would look to host a meeting at the time of the Educators' conference in Jerusalem in October. In the run up to the Stockholm conference the Chair would pass to Sweden. This was agreed.

In the absence of further expressions of interest in joining the Task Force Mr. Cresswell (Chair, UK) ondered whether there was actually a need to discuss the issue of Task Force expansion. Mr. Freeman (US) noted that the Task Force had reached a good size. He hoped that the French observer would convey the substance of the meeting back to Paris and that France would decide to become a full member soon.

Professor Bauer asked that the subject of Academic Centres should be placed on the agenda for the next meeting so a fuller discussion could take place. He would prepare a paper for the next meeting outlining the problems, but not suggesting solutions, for discussion. Briefly he explained that academic centres were needed for 2 main reasons. Firstly, these centres could conduct locally the necessary research, and secondly, they were needed to train the teachertrainers. Without these centres the efforts of the Task Force will not be successful.