One step ahead in history education: new ways to combat disinformation

Description

In a context where the manipulation of history is increasingly used to fuel disinformation, deepen societal divisions and undermine democratic institutions, strengthening critical historical thinking has become more important than ever. History education plays a key role in helping citizens understand the past in a rigorous and pluralistic way, while equipping younger generations with the tools needed to recognise distortions, propaganda and historical disinformation. As an organisation committed to the defence of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, the Council of Europe considers the promotion of responsible and critical history education a priority. In this context, strengthening history education also contributes to the objectives of the New Democratic Pact for Europe, which seeks to reinforce democratic resilience, civic engagement and citizens’ ability to critically engage with information and public narratives. Within the framework of the 6th Annual Conference of the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe (OHTE) entitled “Manipulating history, undermining democracy”, which will take place in Strasbourg, France, on 8–9 October 2026, we invite teachers, researchers, civil society organisations and PhD students to submit existing or pilot innovative projects and initiatives elated to history teaching and the fight against the manipulation of history.

How to apply

Applicants should submit: • a short description of the project/initiative (maximum 1,000 words) within the provided formular; • a description of the context in which the project/initiative have been carried out and of its main results to date (maximum 1,000 words); • the workshop theme to which the project relates; • a brief presentation of the applicant(s); • any relevant supporting materials (videos, teaching resources, links, etc.). Applications should be sent to: ohte@coe.int