Activities
On April 21, 2003, a number of educators and researchers, with an active interest in the teaching and learning of history, decided to establish in Cyprus a non-governmental organisation called the Association for Historical Dialogue and Research. Almost exactly a year later, the Association became a member of EUROCLIO (European Standing Conference History Teachers' Associations), and in April 2005 the General Assembly of EUROCLIO (European Association of History Teachers’ Associations) selected the President of The Association for Historical Dialogue and Research, as a new EUROCLIO Board Member.
The birth of the Association almost coincided with a historic change that took place on the island when on April 23, 2003 travel restrictions between the two sides of the Green Line in Cyprus were eased, and several thousand Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots had their first chance since 1974 to cross the divide. For an Association which recognises the values of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as the UNESCO recommendations relevant to history teaching, and which seeks to defend and promote productive dialogue and research on issues regarding history and history teaching, the time was right. It was evident that, more than ever before, The Association for Historical Dialogue and Research had to actively begin to realise its objectives.
In an effort to reflect upon and embrace those methodological approaches, which promote critical and historical thinking, the Association has held a number of events, beginning with a two-day educational seminar in February 2004 entitled 'What does it mean to think historically? Approaches to teaching and learning history.' The event received very positive written and oral feedback from the 250 academics, researchers and educators who came together from all over Cyprus, across disciplinary and linguistic boundaries to discuss ways in which historical thinking could be advanced.
Many other educational events followed after this first opening to the public. The Association has set as one of its priorities the teacher training on the epistemology and methodology of history teaching. Many multi-communal educational discussions have been organised in collaboration with civil society and teacher trade unions across the divide in Cyprus, and organisations abroad. In Cyprus, many of these events were organised by the Council of Europe and the Association for Historical Dialogue and Research, in close cooperation with the Teachers Trade Unions across the existing divide: KTÖS, KTOEÖS, OELMEK, OLTEK, POED who supported and addressed them:
Representatives of the multi-communal Association for Historical Dialogue and Research have also accepted invitation to present, train and share their expertise with colleagues and interested parties in many educational events in Cyprus and abroad, like for example:
The Association advocates that teaching history children should be urged to put themselves in the shoes of ‘others’ during their history lessons, and try to imagine what it would have been like to be them. Children need to be challenged to question accounts and interrogate evidence, not to take things at face value, but always to research and to construct their own interpretations through disciplined argument and debate. Pupils can, in this way, become aware that the stereotypes and prejudices that have governed their judgments about ‘the other’ are both counterproductive and dangerous, and may recognise the need for productive alternatives. To nurture and sustain these attitudes, such activities should be part of a broader drive towards critical history, historiography and history teaching.
This conceptualisation is in accordance with UNESCO’s insistence that education, in particular history teaching, can be an excellent vehicle of mutual understanding, especially between neighbouring countries. For UNESCO new approaches to history teaching as well as comparative reviews of curricula and textbooks are important resources for the development of civil society, good neighbourliness and the construction of a culture of peace. Along these lines, Council of Europe Recommendation 15 (2001), points out that history teaching in a democratic Europe should be ‘a decisive factor in reconciliation, recognition, understanding and mutual trust’ and ‘play a vital role in the promotion of fundamental values, such as tolerance, mutual understanding, human rights and
democracy’.
Historical dialogue in practice
In line with the UNESCO and the Council of Europe recommendations, The Association for Historical Dialogue and Research, since its foundation, has enlisted members from various ethnic, linguistic, and professional backgrounds working at various educational levels in Cyprus, making the first steps of a greater effort: an effort to maintain a continuous, productive dialogue about enhanced pedagogic practices that would encourage the values of the discipline of history. Its Board, comprising Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot educators and historians, is a brilliant example of how productive collaboration; creative ideas and respect can blossom across the divide.
The Association for Historical Dialogue and Research trust that by teaching and learning to cope confidently with the familiar and the less familiar, to question accounts, to come to grips with multiperspectivity, to evaluate historical significance, to construct own interpretations through disciplined argument and debate, to acknowledge and celebrate a multiplicity of potential identities, we can assist in promoting tolerance, equality, honesty, social justice, respect for human rights, and empower our competence as citizens of Cyprus and Europe to resolve conflict by democratic means.
The Association for Historical Dialogue and Research is determined to continue activities and research to promote dialogue and historical understanding.
