Facing the Past –Transforming our Future supports teachers to develop a culture in schools whereby young people learn to become active, tolerant and responsible democratic citizens who value diversity, human rights and peace.

Facing the Past – Transforming our Future explores the case studies of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust and apartheid South Africa, both of which are in the South African school curriculum.

The Facing the Past methodology and approach allows young people to connect history to the moral questions inherent in a study not only of violence, prejudice and racism but also of courage, caring, and compassion and individual responsibility in a democracy.

In working with personal experiences and choice in these histories, links are made to the issues and moral dilemmas facing young people today.

So far 104 teachers from 40 schools in the Western Cape have participated in Facing the Past. Nearly 10 000 young people in History, Life Orientation and English classes, have been engaging with the past to learn about themselves.

Facing the Past is based on and supported by the work of Facing History and Ourselves. Visit their website to find out more.