The Fourth Belgrade Symposium on History Teaching, titled “Rethinking History and Civic Education for a Shared Future,” was held in Belgrade on October 30 and 31, marking the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement.
Florence Ferrari, French Ambassador to Serbia
The symposium was organized by the NGO Education for the 21st Century, the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, and the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade, with the support of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Serbia and numerous European partners, including the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe (OHTE) and the international association of history educators EuroClio.
This year’s symposium, which brought together teachers, university professors, researchers, and civil society representatives from Serbia, the region, and across Europe, reaffirmed its role as an important platform for open exchange of ideas and critical reflection on history teaching in the context of democratization, dealing with the past, and peacebuilding in post-conflict societies.
The event opened at the French Institute with addresses by the ambassadors of France, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, countries that supported this year’s symposium. On behalf of the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade, Mr. Janos Babity emphasized that the organization and idea of the Fourth Symposium on History Teaching “truly reflect the Council of Europe’s slogan: United around shared values. Teaching history is not merely about transferring knowledge of past events — it helps young people understand that democracy is a fragile achievement that should never be taken for granted. History education also enables citizens to recognize disinformation and resist the instrumentalization of narratives , especially in the new environment shaped by social media and artificial intelligence.”
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In his opening address, Professor Marko Šuica stressed that in times of deep social and political crisis — as in today’s world, marked by the rise of populism and authoritarianism, assertive statism undermining democratic values, and extreme nationalist rhetoric and hate speech — there are increasing attempts to misuse and manipulate history for political purposes. The key conclusion was that history teaching must remain a space for critical thinking and understanding, as this represents the strongest safeguard of peace, democracy, and responsible citizenship. Only in such an environment can a democratic culture and intellectual independence among students truly be cultivated.
The opening panel, “Rethinking History Education for a Shared Future,” focused on international experiences and perspectives from various European countries regarding the dissolution of Yugoslavia and the wars of the 1990s. Speakers included Dr. Alan McCully, former lecturer at Ulster University; Dr. Julia Thiroff, researcher at the Center for Civic Education and History Didactics, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland; and Prof. Dr. Ana Madeleine, historian and professor of Southeast European Studies at INALCO (National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations) in Paris
Teachers from Serbia and the region found particularly relevant the examples from Northern Ireland, where educators and students face similar challenges in a divided society. The presented approaches to history teaching offered valuable insights for overcoming divisions and building trust in the Balkans. The presentations from France and Switzerland on how the dissolution of Yugoslavia is portrayed in their history textbooks also drew significant interest.
Second panel: Are history textbooks telling the whole story?
The second panel, “Do History Textbooks Tell the Whole Truth?” explored what and how students learn about war, peace, and post-conflict realities through history textbooks. Panelists included Prof. Dr. Dubravka Stojanović, historian; Dr. Stefan Sammler from Germany, researcher at the Georg Eckert Institute for International Textbook Research; Aleksandar Todosiijević, history teacher and textbook author; and Aleksandar Marinković, historian and coordinator at the Institute for the Improvement of Education. The discussion highlighted how different historiographical perspectives are reflected in textbooks, and that a free textbook market represents an important framework for further democratization of education. Special attention was given to the phenomena of relativization and revisionism of the past, often influenced by public opinion or social groups. Participants emphasized that writing and didactic shaping of textbooks is a highly complex and lengthy process, often oversimplified in public debates as merely a question of narrative interpretation.
Public event: Education for a shared future: The role of NGOs in informal history education for youth
The Role of NGOs in Peace Education At the public event “Education for a Shared Future: The Role of NGOs in Informal History Education for Youth,” held at the Goethe Institute, representatives of several international and domestic non-governmental organizations — including the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe (Council of Europe), EuroClio (Netherlands), Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR), and the Center for Practical Policy — shared insights and examples of good practice in working with young people on topics such as dealing with the past, overcoming prejudice, and fostering a culture of peace. One of the panel’s key conclusions was that NGO activities significantly contribute to the development of critical thinking among young people and open spaces for re-examining various narratives about sensitive historical issues, including the wars of the 1990s in the former Yugoslavia. It was also noted that many young people first encounter these topics through seminars, summer schools, and conferences — experiences that help them understand the importance of historical knowledge for building democratic culture, dialogue, and acceptance of diversity.
Workshop for teachers and students: Textbooks and teaching learning materials
The Role of NGOs in Peace Education At the public event “Education for a Shared Future: The Role of NGOs in Informal History Education for Youth,” held at the Goethe Institute, representatives of several international and domestic non-governmental organizations — including the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe (Council of Europe), EuroClio (Netherlands), Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR), and the Center for Practical Policy — shared insights and examples of good practice in working with young people on topics such as dealing with the past, overcoming prejudice, and fostering a culture of peace. One of the panel’s key conclusions was that NGO activities significantly contribute to the development of critical thinking among young people and open spaces for re-examining various narratives about sensitive historical issues, including the wars of the 1990s in the former Yugoslavia. It was also noted that many young people first encounter these topics through seminars, summer schools, and conferences — experiences that help them understand the importance of historical knowledge for building democratic culture, dialogue, and acceptance of diversity.
On the second day of the symposium, two workshops were held at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade — one dedicated to history textbooks and another to learning outside the classroom at sites of memory and commemoration — with participation from both history teachers and history students.
“This year’s symposium, which promotes the exchange of European experiences, open dialogue, and freedom of expression of diverse views, represents the best possible response to the current political misuse of history. It stands as a defense of the professional integrity of historians and the educational mission of teachers dedicated to developing democratic competences, establishing trust, and building lasting reconciliation in the region,” said Professor Marko Šuica, Department of History, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade-“