Connect and facilitate

Our mission is to be a national forum encouraging efforts to promote democracy, tolerance, and human rights, using the Holocaust as our starting point.

The organisation has a specific mission to raise awareness about the Holocaust and about crimes against humanity committed by Communist regimes, as well as to strengthen the public will to work actively for equality between all people.

Our operations are conducted with an emphasis on knowledge, culture, and in-service training. We develop pedagogic material for teachers and students in elementary school, secondary school, and other types of education. We put together exhibitions, in-service training courses, and reports. We arrange seminars and talks, and cooperate with scientists, government agencies, and organisations from civil society.

The Living History Forum was established in 2003. The story behind its founding is that Sweden in the year 2000 signed on to the Stockholm Declaration. This document was adopted by 51 nations that participated in a conference in Stockholm earlier that year. According to the declaration, the signatories should support memorial events, education, and studies associated with the Holocaust.

International contacts are of vital importance for The Living History Forum. Exchanging experiences and knowledge with institutions and experts in other countries is crucial in ensuring that the Forum maintains a high standard.

The Living History Forum has partners in many countries and actively participates in various international networks such as International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).

The international work has resulted in several direct joint ventures and exchanges of ideas and knowledge. One example of this is a collaboration with the Documentation Centre in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia which led to the creation of the exhibition “Dinner with Pol Pot”.

During 2011-2013 The Living History Forum was involved in a co-operation with the organisation Memorial in St Petersburg, Russia. This project aimed at demonstrating and teaching how different methodologies may be used for working with history as a starting point for learning and discussing human rights. An important aim of the project was to deal with the issue of how different narratives of the past may make a difference in relating to today’s occurrence of intolerance, hate crimes and violations of human rights. For us, at the Living History Forum, this cooperation gave us many interesting inputs, not least regarding deeper knowledge about crimes against humanity under Communist regimes, one of the topics on our agenda.

Project manager-International Coordination at The Living history Forum is Anna Edman Bastos.

The Declaration of the Stockholm International Forum on the Holocaust (or “Stockholm Declaration”) is the founding document of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and it continues to serve as an ongoing affirmation of each IHRA member country’s commitment to shared principles.

The declaration was the outcome of the International Forum convened in Stockholm between 27-29 January 2000 by former Swedish Prime Minister Göran Persson. The Forum was attended by the representatives of 46 governments including; 23 Heads of State or Prime Ministers and 14 Deputy Prime Ministers or Ministers.

This network of 35 member states consists of representatives of governments, as well as governmental and non-governmental organizations. Its purpose is to place political and social leaders' support behind the need for Holocaust education, remembrance, and research both nationally and internationally. Professor Yehuda Bauer, former chair of the Yad Vashem Research Institute in Jerusalem, is the Honorary Chairman.

Members must be committed to the Stockholm Declaration adopted by the Stockholm International Forum on the Holocaust in year 2000. Member countries must be committed to the implementation of national policies and programs in support of Holocaust education, remembrance, and research. The governments comprising the alliance agree on the importance of encouraging all archives, both public and private, to make their holdings on the Holocaust more widely accessible. IHRA  also encourages appropriate forms of Holocaust remembrance.

Racism concerns us all. There are many who testify to how widespread racism is in society. But what exactly is racism, and how can we increase respect for equality between all people? Through knowledge and awareness, we strive to strengthen society’s ability to prevent and counteract racism. We want to inspire conversations about racism in schools and at work, but also between government agencies and other societal actors.

We offer pedagogic resources, educational texts, reports, podcasts, and films relating to racism. We also arrange seminars, live events, conferences, and in-service training.

The Living History Forum is tasked with coordinating the Swedish government’s national agenda against racism and to train school personnel and public servants at, for example, the National Insurance Office, police, and social services regarding racism throughout history and today.

The Living History Forum offers:

• Classroom materials about racism for lower and upper secondary school
• Seminars and in-service training about racism for school staff
• Online in-service training for public servants about racism, focused on equal treatment
• Basic in-service training for public service workers regarding racism
• Online course on how pre-schools and schools can counteract racism
• Guidance and skills development for Swedish Dembra schools. Dembra is a programme for schools to prevent racism, group-based hostility and antidemocratic attitudes 

The Living History Forum also heads the network of state agencies that work against racism, other similar forms of hostility and hate crimes. The purpose of the network is to function as a platform for skills development and experience sharing among state agencies. The network is open for all Swedish state agencies.

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