Every Flame is a Name: Moldova marks Holocaust Remembrance Day across schools
Moldovan schools will observe Holocaust Remembrance Day from January 26 to 30, 2026, through a series of educational and commemorative events. The Ministry of Education and Research (MEC) issued a nationwide directive urging schools to promote tolerance and critical understanding of recent history.
The centerpiece of the week, titled "Every Flame is a Name," will take place on January 27 at 09:15 AM. Students and teachers across the country will gather in schoolyards and public spaces to light candles and observe a minute of silence in memory of the millions murdered by the Nazi regime.
Interactive learning and historical research
Beyond formal ceremonies, the Ministry is encouraging schools to move beyond textbooks. Recommended activities include documentary screenings followed by debates, visits to Jewish history museums, and local research projects where students uncover the stories of their own communities.
To ensure the "living memory" of the Holocaust reaches the younger generation, schools are also organizing meetings with survivors and their descendants. These initiatives aim to strengthen human rights education and combat discrimination by fostering respect for ethnic and cultural diversity.
Methodological support for educators
To prepare for these events, the Museum of Jewish History of the Republic of Moldova will host an online workshop for teachers on January 23. This session will provide the technical and methodological guidance needed to handle such sensitive historical topics effectively in the classroom.
The Ministry emphasized that educational institutions have the flexibility to adapt their programs based on local resources and specific community contexts. This approach ensures that the lessons of the Holocaust—which saw the systemic murder of six million Jews and millions of Roma, dissidents, and persons with disabilities—remain relevant to preventing future acts of hatred.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
