Project name: Deconstructing Distortion and Disinformation via Campaign and Digital Education
Project acronym: DECONSTRUCT
Project type: CERV-2023-EQUAL
Project reference number: 101144756
Project duration: 2024. May 1. – 2025. April 31.
Over the past few years, there has been a significant increase in identity-based hatred, discrimination, and intolerance, often leading to violence. These trends transcend borders and are exacerbated by the widespread dissemination of hate through various media channels, both online and in print. Antisemitism, in particular, is rising at a faster pace compared to other forms of hatred. One of the many manifestations of antisemitism is Holocaust distortion. Recent years have witnessed a shocking surge in attempts within international public and political discourse to downplay the impact of the Holocaust and minimise the crimes committed by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. Holocaust distortion is not confined to national boundaries, nor is it limited to a single language. International cooperation and developing media literacy skills are crucial in combating this form of hatred.If you want to learn more about Holocaust distortion, click here!
Through the DECONSTRUCT project, a transnational consortium of organisations dedicated to countering hate and discrimination will work together to combat racism and intolerance through research, education, and public programming, specifically addressing antisemitism and Holocaust distortion. HETFA is a partner in the consortium coordinated by Zachor Foundation. The program will deliver research findings, online educational resources, and an innovative public awareness campaign to engage educators, students, decision-makers, and policymakers, equipping them with the necessary resources and training to combat antisemitism and Holocaust distortion, while also fostering the development of media literacy skills. The learning resources will initially be developed in English and then localised by the partners for use in different local languages and contexts. The consortium aims to establish a continuous cycle of education and engagement rooted in research and evaluation, empowering beneficiaries to progress from learning to understanding and creating virtual spaces where individuals can mobilise their collective and individual power to take action.
Objectives
- Baseline study: the project partners conduct a baseline study on teachers’ and secondary-
level students’ knowledge, understanding and perception of Holocaust distortion. - Localization of the ‘#ProtectTheFacts’ campaign and IHRA’s ToolKit against Holocaust
distortion materials - Upskilling partners for testimony-based learning module development, in particular
developing their understanding on how to do historical research and research in digital
archives and databases, content and methodological development of localised IWitness
learning modules - Developing new content of IWitness digital learning modules
- Piloting developed IWitness activities with teachers
- Providing immersive participatory learning experience to students through participating in
pilot events and creating video essays - Providing opportunity to stakeholders, decision- and policy makers to be informed about
project outputs
Partnership
Zachor Foundation (Hungary) – Coordinator of the project
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece)
The University of Florence (Italy)
The School of Arts and Humanities of the University of Lisbon (Portugal)
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (Italy)
HETFA Research Institute (Hungary)
Social media pages of DECONSTRUCT:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deconstructproject/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deconstruct_project/
The first learning activity developed during the #DECONSTRUCT Project was published in Hungarian. The activity explores the topics of Holocaust distortion and denial—phenomena that question, deny or distort the facts and details of the genocide committed during World War II.
This activity helps students strengthen their critical thinking skills and enables them to recognize and reject denialist and distortive narratives, which pose a threat to society and our shared values in many ways. The activity is available on the USC Shoah Foundation’s IWitness platform after a short registration. In the course of the project, activities in all languages of the consortium will be developed and published, ensuring that students across different countries have access to educational resources that promote historical awareness and critical thinking.
The #ProtectTheFact campaign materials are available in Hungarian on the campaign’s Facebook page. The campaign is a joint international initiative of the European Commission, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), the OSCE/ODIHR, the United Nations and UNESCO, with the Zachor Foundation as Hungarian partner. Its aim is to raise awareness, recognition and action against Holocaust distortion.
