Developments within the French HTA

The article is written by Yohann Chanoir, Member of the « Commission Europe » of APHG 

 

APHG (Association des Professeurs d'Histoire et de Géographie) exists for almost a century, and leans on a very dense network of regional branches. These branches fit the competences of the secondary education academies. The Association is open to all persons teaching history and/or geography, or having an interest for these disciplines. It is thus rich of a strong militant network of educators from primary, secondary and university levels, but also students and other enlightened minds. APHG reaches out in France but also internationally, thanks to its magazine Historiens et Géographes. Indeed, it would be a mistake to believe that this old lady is preoccupied exclusively with French affairs.

Quite early, APHG showed interest for the European matters, for instance through the French-German meetings about history textbooks with the Georg Eckert Institute. The European dimension is nowadays carried on mainly by the « Commission Europe » of the Association. This Commission, like the others within the Association, meets three to four times a year. It gathers educators interested in European matters, most of them by the way teaching in European or international school sections. The next meeting will take place quite symbolically in Strasbourg, with the idea to pursue and extend the synergies of the EU French Presidency, to meet in a town where Europe is strongly asserted, but also and most importantly, to establish a partnership with the Council of Europe.   The Commission is working on several projects at the moment. It is first of all conducting an investigation on history teaching and learning in Europe (in its continental understanding). It is also preparing a series of articles on European memorial wars: the topics addressed will be for instance the Soviet soldier of Tallinn, or Katyn times. Moreover, the Commission is a partner in a German-French-Polish project on the teaching of a European history through tri-national figures. And finally, all members of the Commission are committed in various European activities: exchanges, organisation and/or participation in international seminars and conferences, etc. 
The centenary of APHG, which will be celebrated in 2010 in front of a largely international audience, will thus be a symbolical opportunity not only to show the vitality of the Association but also to recall its interest for Europe.