Auschwitz Institute for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities

10/23/2026

09/22/2026

💬 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞.

🇪🇺 Through 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞, Europe is investing in new approaches to strengthen democratic resilience and address some of the challenges increasingly affecting our societies: polarization, disinformation and extremism. Under 𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐙𝐎𝐍-𝐂𝐋𝟐-𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓-𝟎𝟏-𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐘-𝟎𝟓, only three projects were selected: 𝐅𝐄𝐌𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐌 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄.

🤝 The 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐳 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 (𝐀𝐈𝐏𝐆) is thrilled to contribute to this European effort through 𝐃𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄, together with 13 partners and under the leadership of 𝐋𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲.

🌐 𝐃𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 at the heart of strengthening democratic resilience. Over the next three years, the project will explore how dialogue can help build resilience, create space for different perspectives, and strengthen the capacity of young people and communities to engage constructively across divides.

🔎 For AIPG, this work connects closely with our 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡. Democratic resilience depends on our ability to recognize and address emerging risks early, while strengthening the institutions, communities, and relationships that help societies navigate polarization and disagreement without exclusion or violence.

🚀 We look forward to three years of learning and collaboration with our partners, and to advancing 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.



Partners:

Lund University | Université de Sherbrooke | Universitatea Babeş-Bolyai | Université Rennes 2 | Fryshuset i Malmö| Centrul pentru Studiul Comparat al Migratiei | CEPS (Centre for European Policy Studies)| Osavul | The Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities (ACEEU) | European Students' Union - ESU) | Erasmus Student Network | A World of Neighbours (AWoN) | Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

09/01/2026

🏫 From August 25–28, 2026, a new edition of the Summer School organized by Romania’s National Agency for Roma took place in Runcu, Gorj County.

🎓 Organized under the motto “Roma Excellence Generation,” the program brought together public officials, educators, school inspectors, young professionals, and students of different ages. The event also celebrated students’ outstanding achievements in history competitions and at the National Romani Language Olympiad.

📚 AIPG’s Mediterranean Basin Programs team was delighted to support this endeavor and facilitate a series of applied sessions exploring the processes through which hate speech, prejudice, and discrimination can escalate into radicalization and identity-based violence. Participants examined relevant risk factors for the outbreak of violence and the actors involved, as well as opportunities for preventive action that emerge throughout this continuum. The sessions approached the Holocaust and the Roma Genocide as processes rather than isolated historical events, emphasizing the importance of recognizing early warning signs and understanding how exclusion can become normalized and institutionalized. Through discussions and collaborative projects on inclusive memorialization and artivism, participants reflected on how memory can foster critical thinking, dialogue, and community resilience.

💡 Education is one of the most powerful tools for prevention. By connecting knowledge of the past with the challenges of the present, it can help young people question prejudice, resist oversimplified narratives, think about belonging and identity, and recognize their own capacity to act with discernment and empathy.

🤝 The strength of communities lies in knowing their past, connecting with their identities, and drawing on both to shape their future. This requires educational and commemorative practices that represent Roma not only as victims of persecution but also as individuals, families, and communities with rich histories, vibrant cultures, resilience, and agency.

💙 It was a great pleasure to work with such an engaged and enthusiastic group of educators and students. AIPG is proud to continue its longstanding partnership with the National Agency for Roma to advance inclusive education, deepen nuanced historical understanding, counter racism and xenophobia, and prevent identity-based violence — all essential pillars of democratic resilience in volatile times.

08/12/2026

What if nuanced dialogue could become one of our strongest tools against polarization and extremism?

We are thrilled to announce the launch of DEEP DIALOGUE (De-Escalating Extremism & Polarization through Dialogue), a new project funded under Europe Cluster 2: Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society, within the Democracy area.
At a time when disinformation, hate speech and growing social divisions are challenging democratic values across the EU, DEEP DIALOGUE brings together 14 organizations from 8 countries to strengthen democratic resilience and promote social cohesion, with a particular focus on young people.

Through innovative dialogue approaches and cutting-edge research, the project will develop practical solutions to help educators, youth organizations, journalists, policymakers and public officers better understand and address the dynamics that fuel polarization and radicalization. More importantly, DEEP DIALOGUE will empower young people by fostering trust and creating spaces where disagreement does not become division, but contributes to a shared prevention culture.

Together with our partners, we look forward to transforming evidence into action and exploring how meaningful dialogue can help build stronger, more cohesive, and resilient democracies.

🤝 AIPG’s Mediterranean Basin Programs team is excited to begin this journey with its partners in Sweden, Canada, Romania, France, Belgium, Germany, Ukraine, and the Netherlands.



Partners:
Lund University Université de Sherbrooke Universitatea Babeş-Bolyai Université Rennes 2 European Students' Union - ESU Erasmus Student Network Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law World of Neighbours (AWoN)

European Commission EU Science & Innovation

🔗 Funded project: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/projects-details/43108390/101289062/HORIZON?order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=10&sortBy=es_SortDate&keywords=deep%20dialogue&programmePeriod=2021%20-%202027

07/31/2026

Today, AIPG’s Mediterranean Basin Programs team participated in the official ceremony marking European Roma Holocaust Memorial Day in Bucharest, Romania, at the invitation of the Agentia Nationala pentru Romi

Observed annually on August 2, European Roma Holocaust Memorial Day honors the memory of the Roma and Sinti victims of the Samudaripen, the genocide committed against Roma and Sinti during the Holocaust. The day commemorates the approximately 4,300 Roma and Sinti murdered at Auschwitz-Birkenau on the night of August 2–3,1944, while also remembering the hundreds of thousands of Roma killed across Nazi-occupied Europe.

Representing AIPG, Dr. Gabriela Ghindea, Director of Mediterranean Basin Programs, emphasized that genocide begins long before the occurrence of mass violence through the normalization of prejudice, exclusion, and dehumanization. She highlighted the importance of translating remembrance into education, research, and institutional action that strengthens democratic resilience and helps prevent future atrocities.

As Dr. Ghindea noted:

"Perhaps this is one of the most important lessons conveyed by a symbolic place such as Auschwitz, and the one we reaffirm today: memory is never only about the past. It is one of the most powerful and valuable resources we possess for defending human dignity and our shared humanity today, and for building societies in which no one is ever again persecuted because of their identity. But memory becomes a force for prevention only when it is translated into civic engagement and institutional responsibility."

AIPG is proud to continue its longstanding and trusted partnership with the National Agency for the Roma in advancing education, cross-sectoral dialogue, and remembrance as essential pillars of genocide and mass atrocity prevention. Together, we remain committed to ensuring that the lessons of the past continue to strengthen democratic resilience, protect human dignity, and help build societies in which diversity is safeguarded and no one is persecuted because of who they are.

📷 Photos: Agenția Națională pentru Romi, Matei Demetrescu, Codrin Tăut, Oana Davidescu

07/02/2026

For the fourth time, we gathered for the Samuel and Edith Fleischman Summer Academy for Holocaust Education and Genocide Prevention.

Throughout the Summer Academy, participants explored Oświęcim - Miasto Pokoju - City of Peace, learned about the history of the local Jewish community, and visited the Synagogue at the Oshpitzin Museum, the Auschwitz Memorial / Muzeum Auschwitz, and the Centrum św. Maksymiliana w Harmężach.

The Academy is made possible through the generous support of Edward Fleischman. Reflecting on the legacy of his parents, Samuel and Edith Fleischman—both Polish Holocaust survivors—Ed shared:

"This academy was created to honor the legacy of my parents, Samuel and Edith Fleischman, both Polish Holocaust survivors. Having all three of my granddaughters—Sylvie, Georgie, and Emma—here with me today is a living testament to their survival and a reminder of exactly why we must carry their memories forward.

My mother, Edith Jacobowitz, was born in Łódź, Poland, just 240 kilometers from Auschwitz... Emma is named after my mother. She was a seamstress, so when she and her family were forced into the Łódź Ghetto, she made clothes for German soldiers. She was transported to Auschwitz toward the end of the war, where she lost her entire family. Upon arriving at the camp, she stood in line with her sister. A guard sent my mother one way and her sister another, and my mother never saw her again. She was liberated by U.S. soldiers and eventually made her way to New York City. The war never really left her, and she spoke about it often. She was the toughest, hardest-working person I have ever known.

My father, Samuel Fleischman, was born in Galicia... Sylvie is named after my father. A gregarious man, he made his way to Paris, where he worked as a tailor and had a wife and daughter. They were deported from Paris, and he never saw them again. He was later imprisoned in a French internment camp outside Paris, escaped, and survived with the help of a courageous Jewish family who hid him in their apartment. Unlike my mother, he rarely spoke about his experiences during the war until the very end of his life. After the war, he also made his way to the United States.

I want to do all I can to help create a future where no one is made to suffer because of any aspect of their identity, as my parents did.

Thank you for being here—not just to honor the legacy of Samuel and Edith, but to help protect the future for Sylvie, Georgie, Emma, and all the generations to come."

Thank you to everyone who joined us for five intense and inspiring days filled with meaningful conversations, thoughtful reflection, and engaging discussions!

06/26/2026

Today, the Mediterranean Basin Programs team had the privilege of participating in the oath ceremony of the graduates of the Border Police Agents Training School "Avram Iancu" in Oradea, Romania, a symbolic milestone marking the beginning of their service.

For the past four years, we have been honored to partner with Romania's only training school for Border Police agents, delivering customized training on human rights, atrocity prevention, and democratic resilience. Together, we have supported future border police officers in navigating, with professionalism and discernment, the delicate balance between security and respect for human dignity in times of increasing uncertainty and adversity.

We thank our institutional partners for their trust and excellent collaboration, and we congratulate all the graduates as they embark on this important journey. We wish them every success as they serve with integrity, responsibility, and respect for the values that strengthen democratic societies!

06/18/2026

The Auschwitz Institute, in collaboration with the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, the REFUGEE CONSORTIUM OF KENYA (RCK), and is holding a training and capacity-building workshop for peace, cohesion, and security actors in Kakuma Municipality, Turkana County, from June 18–21.

06/12/2026

On June 11–12, the Auschwitz Institute's Mediterranean Basin Programs team held an inaugural consultation workshop in Podgorica, Montenegro, as part of its international project, “Atrocity Prevention During a Global Migration Crisis.”

Organized within the framework of AIPG's Bruno and Suzanne Scheidt Refugee Protection Program (SRPP), the workshop—“Strengthening Democratic Resilience and Social Cohesion during Global Migration Crises: Insights from Montenegro”—brought together 36 representatives from government institutions, international organizations, civil society, media, and academia. Over two intensive days, participants worked to strengthen preventive approaches to migration governance, enhance the protection of vulnerable groups, foster institutional resilience, and establish a seed community of practice.

Through expert presentations, panel discussions, and practical exercises, participants examined migration challenges along the Balkan Route from a comparative perspective. Key discussions explored the relationship between security and human rights, the risks of identity-based violence, and the importance of mental health support and social inclusion in migration contexts. Participants also identified systemic gaps in Montenegro's migration response and developed recommendations for more inclusive, resilient, prevention-oriented policies. The discussions benefited from the expertise gained during AIPG’s migration-focused program in Bosnia and Herzegovina and were further supported by program alumni, who shared best practices from their work.

The workshop built upon two online training courses delivered between April and June 2026. These courses brought together leadership- and working-level actors involved in decision-making related to migrant, asylum-seeker, and refugee protection policies to explore the intersection of atrocity prevention and migration management.

By fostering dialogue and collaboration among key stakeholders, the project contributes to strengthening democratic resilience and social cohesion while advancing preventive, human rights-based approaches to migration governance in Montenegro and the broader region.

Photos: Matei Demetrescu, Elizabeth Lyons
Read more about AIPG’s SRPP: https://www.auschwitzinstitute.org/programs/scheidt-refugee-protection-program