"European Culture(s) of Remembrance - Edition: GREECE in Focus"

We are offering youth workers, (civic) educators, teachers, trainers, staff of museums & remembrance places, researchers, representatives of civil society organisations etc. with strong background in historic-civic (youth) education (18 years +) from Erasmus+ programme countries the opportunity to join the following event:

• „European Culture(s) of Remembrance” - Edition: “GREECE in Focus” 3rd – 9th of October 2026 | Thessaloniki (Greece)

The event will seek to interrelate four central aspects: firstly, it will focus the question how major historical events are represented in the local/regional/national culture of remembrance. Secondly, it will question in how far past or contemporary local/regional/national culture(s) of remembrance shape the political and social dynamics in Greece. Thirdly, it will bring insights into the local practices of historic civic education. Fourthly, space for exchange, networking & collaboration among participants about related questions & topics will be provided.

Key themes & schedule

The event offers participants an in-depth exploration of the landscape of remembrance in Thessaloniki and its surrounding area. Through a combination of expert lectures and guided visits to selected museums and memory sites in the Thessaloniki region, participants will engage with the complex layers of 20th-century history and their lasting impact on contemporary Greek society. Particular attention will be given to the influence of global events and broader processes on local historical dynamics. The program is structured around three key themes: (1) the multi-ethnic history of Thessaloniki and its public representation; (2) World War II in Greece; and (3) Greece after 1945. Each theme will be examined from both historical and contemporary perspectives, including ongoing debates and contested interpretations in local politics and society.

An introductory lecture on Greek culture of remembrance, together with a guided walking tour through the city centre, will provide valuable insight into how history is represented and negotiated in public space today. Participants will also take part in a series of guided museum visits. The War Museum of Thessaloniki will address the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, the incorporation of Thessaloniki into the Greek state and the population exchange between Greece and Turkey in the 1920s. At the Museum of Byzantine Culture, participants will explore the city’s medieval past and its present-day interpretations.

A visit to the Jewish Museum will highlight the history of Salonika as a major centre of Sephardic Jewish life prior to its destruction during World War II. The experiences of resistance and civilian suffering under occupation will be examined at the Chortiatis Massacre Memorial. Finally, a visit to the Heptapyrgion—a former political prison—will open a discussion on political repression and violence during the period of military dictatorship in Greece, as well as how the Regime of the Colonels (1967–1974) is interpreted today. Moreover, the daily sessions will offer not only an opportunity for debriefing and group discussion of the aforementioned topics, but also a space to address further questions related to the history of Greece and its relations with neighbouring countries.