8–10 October 2026 | Vilnius & Marijampolė, Lithuania
Centropa invites educators from across Lithuania to apply for a three-day professional development seminar in Vilnius and Marijampolė from 8–10 October 2026. Organized in cooperation with the International Commission for the Evaluation of the Crimes of the Nazi and Soviet Occupation Regimes in Lithuania, the seminar will bring together experienced Centropa educators to exchange ideas, develop new educational resources, and explore innovative approaches to teaching Jewish history and the Holocaust.
This seminar is designed especially for educators who have previously participated in Centropa seminars and already use Centropa materials in their educational work. Building on their experience, participants will take a more active role: sharing successful approaches, exchanging ideas with colleagues, and jointly developing resources that can be used by educators throughout Lithuania.
Working with Centropa materials (biographies, photos, films, exhibition), participants will collaborate in small groups to create practical educational resources, including lesson ideas, methodological materials, and project concepts. Particular attention will be given to how these resources can be used in classroom teaching, Tolerance Education Centers, educational projects, and Holocaust remembrance activities.
The seminar will provide space for participants to learn from one another, discuss challenges and successful teaching methods, and transform their experiences into practical resources for other educators.
On October 8, participants will have the chance to attend the official opening of the Chiune Sugihara “Moonlight” Monument, dedicated to the Japanese Vice-Consul in Lithuania who helped thousands of Jewish refugees escape during the Second World War, followed by a reception at the Vilna Gaon Museum of Jewish History.
The program will also include an educational excursion to Vilkaviškis, connecting the history of the town and its former Jewish community with the life stories of two Centropa interviewees, Ranana Malkhanova and Raya Teytelbaumienė. Through their biographies, participants will explore how individual stories, family photographs, and local sites can be brought together to make Jewish history tangible and relevant for students.
The seminar is open to Lithuanian educators. The working language will be Lithuanian.
We encourage interested educators to apply here.