This book is the result of an intensive collaborative project of the history teachers associations from the countries of former Yugoslavia, also involving the wider region, Europe and beyond, under the auspices of EuroClio.

By selecting painful and controversial topics, and presenting them in the form of comprehensive source- and inquiry-based based modules ready to be used in class, we intended to encourage critical thinking and to develop the awareness that someone else might not have the same interpretation of “our glorious past”. This additional, innovative material for history teaching is intended for pupils of final grades of primary schools and students of gymnasiums and vocational secondary schools. It allows them to experience a positive approach to the regional history of the period 1900-1945. The methodological approach corresponds to the demands of modern history teaching in the perspective of development of regional cooperation, as is also recognized in Council of Europe (2001:15 and 2009:1880) and UNESCO Recommendations, and the European Union Key Competences for Life Long Learning (2008).

For the students it supports the development of critical thinking, and understanding regional history and learning history through learning for skills and competences.  For the wider society, in which education is a cornerstone, this effort supports mutual understanding, promotes peace, stability and democracy in the region.  EuroClio and all member associations hope that by this the process of reconciliation is advanced. Within project activities, particular emphasis is given to development of modern methods of teaching history and the teaching process in general.

International Trainers and Advisers from Finland, Iceland, Israel, South Africa, Switzerland and United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland and Scotland) gave active training workshops in which they shared their insight into issues of history education in their countries, as well as trained the authors on how to work with educational material based on the sources and inquiry for learning outcomes. Representatives of History Teachers Associations of Albania, Bulgaria, Finland, Greece, Iceland, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland participated as observers in various workshops for Authors and Experts in the project, sharing their insights as experts and learners. The Authors, experts and developers in this project were able to improve their skills to implement a creative and modern approach to teaching history. Contributing to their capacity, they also shared and piloted the draft educational material in many different settings, including in Estonia, Israel, Northern-Ireland and Ukraine. During three years of working on the project, more than 260 participants were included in various activities, such as workshops, classroom piloting workshops, seminars, study visits, lectures, and international conferences. It enabled them to develop new skills and abilities, but also to strengthen capacities of civil society organizations in the region.

With this publication now added to the ranks of groundbreaking teaching resources, we can be sure that innovative methods in the learning and teaching of some sensitive and controversial history of the region in the period 1900-1945 has received a positive boost.

History that Connects: Teaching Sensitive and Controversial History in the countries of Former Yugoslavia.