UNESCO and France train educators to address racism and antisemitism

Ruth-Anne Lenga points out three key goals for teacher training: obtaining self-knowledge, content knowledge and pedagogic knowledge.

No one is free from stereotypes. However, stereotypes that are left unaddressed may spiral into prejudice, which, in turn, can fuel hate, discrimination, and violence. This has been the case for antisemitism – a specific form of discrimination with a centuries-long history that is now on the rise again. 

Its recent spread affects the safety and security of communities worldwide and drives neighbors, colleagues, and friends further apart. In this context, shaping sustainable and efficient solutions to this problem takes work. What is the role of education in addressing this threat? And what can and should educators do to build learning spaces where everyone feels welcome and respected without exceptions? 

On 21 February 2024, UNESCO hosted over 100 senior education officials in charge of addressing racism and antisemitism from across France for a training on preventing antisemitism, intolerance, and discrimination through education. The event was organized at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris in partnership with the French Ministry of Education and Youth and the Interministerial Delegation to Combat Racism, Anti-Semitism and Anti-LGBT Hate (DILCRAH). This initiative is part of a 2-year project funded by the European Commission and supported by OSCE/ODIHR.

At the training, educators heard from national and international experts about the nuances of antisemitism and successful approaches to dealing with it in and out of schools, considering potential limitations and challenges. The workshop combined lectures and panel discussions with interactive sessions where participants could examine case studies and real-life scenarios.

Pascale Falek, Senior Policy Officer at the European Commission, praised the EU-UNESCO partnership to help Member States in their critical work on training educators to address antisemitism: "Building a Europe free from hate starts at schools. Education is the main preventive tool for building young people's resilience to antisemitic ideas and hate speech."

Understanding the urgency

This event comes at a moment when, in some regions, levels of antisemitism have reached their all-time highs. Between October and November 2023, three times more antisemitic incidents were registered in France than throughout the entire last year. This trend is echoed in other parts of the world, with alarming spikes in antisemitic hate speech and violence registered in the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and other countries. Many of those incidents affect young people, often within educational settings.

"In 2024, parents of the Jewish faith are afraid to send their children to schools, or they have to advise them to hide their identity in public. Dozens of Jewish schools have been evacuated due to bomb threats, and Jewish students in many public schools face constant harassment, both online and offline", said Ariella Woitchik, Director of European Affairs at the European Jewish Congress, a representative body for European Jewish communities. 

In the current context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, many educators find themselves at an impasse. Ruth-Anne Lenga, from University College London Center for Holocaust Education: "While teachers agree that schools should address antisemitism, a large majority said they had insufficient knowledge to recognize it. They admit they lack the confidence to respond when the incidents occur."Unpacking the complexity behind the urgencyThe 7 October terrorist attacks and unfolding humanitarian crisis in the Gaza strip add extra layers of complexity to the situation, magnifying the impact of antisemitism and unleashing a wave of anti-Muslim hatred in turn. Mohammed Ali Amla from the British education charity "Solutions not Sides" stresses that simple answers cannot solve multifaceted problems.

In his mind, at a time when both Jewish and Muslim communities are in a place of fear, pain and grief, it is critical to focus on two aspects — firstly, creating spaces where young people can think critically about the specific nature, origins, and evolution of different forms of hatred and discrimination by learning the objective historic facts. And secondly, by leading with empathy while dealing with incidents at schools. For example, Mohammed invites educators to use more process-oriented language, focusing on students' actions and impact rather than labelling and shaming them. Shaping efficient approaches

Ruth-Anne Lenga points out three key goals for teacher training: obtaining self-knowledge, content knowledge and pedagogic knowledge. This implies reflecting on personal bias, upgrading their awareness of the subject matter, and empowering them to act with concrete tips and scenarios.

According to Natalie Nikitenko, Head of the Directorate for European and International Affairs and Cooperation at the French Ministry of National Education and Youth, considering the online dimension of rising antisemitism is just as important. She highlighted the significance of fostering digital citizenship skills and investing in media and information literacy education. This way, teachers and students can decipher conspiracy theories and disinformation that often fuel antisemitic hate speech and other forms of hate.

Samuel Lejoyeux, president of the French Council of Jewish Students, flags that efficient approaches allow to unpack the patterns behind biases and prejudice and also contextualize those. One of the ways to do this is through participatory and interactive pedagogy, engaging young people as active actors. Samuel is running a CoExist program that pairs mediators from diverse backgrounds to discuss racism, antisemitism, and discrimination with young people.

In his view, one cannot neglect the new forms and disguises of antisemitism in digital spaces (even in the language used to refer to different groups of people used online). At the same time, he believes that equipping young people with tools to resist stereotypes and prejudice is a commitment educators should make consistently, regardless of the current context.

"No matter how many forms it takes, antisemitism harms people. It has a long history, but it started somewhere. This means that we can trace it back and learn how to prevent it", he adds.Supporting educators with resourcesTo help educators on their journey, UNESCO, OSCE/ODIHR and University College London developed a training curriculum on addressing and preventing antisemitism through and in education. It includes necessary content for different study levels and education settings. The curriculum offers concrete techniques and approaches teachers can use to counter prejudice and have meaningful conversations with their students.

While antisemitism is a specific form of hate and discrimination, understanding in the context of broader patterns behind prejudice may open additional pathways for effective prevention and response strategies. At the workshop, UNESCO presented its newly published guide "Unmasking Racism", focusing on how racism may manifest itself in textbooks and what can be done from educators' perspective to mitigate and prevent such scenarios.

Preparing action-ready educators in Europe: first results

Since April 2023, UNESCO has been training educators across the European Union to better spot, prevent and confront antisemitism in and out of schools. Previous workshops in Croatia and Greece, organized with the support from national ministries in charge of education, proved to boost both teachers' knowledge about antisemitism and their preparedness to act against this threat in their school communities. Most participants considered such learning programs indispensable during pre-service (initial) and in-service (continuous/professional) training.

Professional training of educators, teacher trainers and policy-makers on addressing antisemitism is one of the pillars of the European Commission's Strategy for combating antisemitism that highlights education as a critical element of prevention and response. 

The recent workshop in France continues these efforts and supports the French National Plan to Combat Racism, Antisemitism and Discrimination (2023-2026). In partnership with UNESCO, French authorities are also scaling up their efforts to address antisemitism through education as part of a new initiative building on the success of UNESCO-EU cooperation.