International Day for Tolerance (16 November 2006)

At the initiative of UNESCO, 1995 was declared the United Nations Year for Tolerance, and it saw the launching of a world-wide campaign for tolerance and non-violence. The International Day for Tolerance grew out of the momentum of that Year. Building tolerance and trust in diverse communities is not done overnight, but takes time and commitment. Building tolerance requires access to education. Intolerance is often rooted in ignorance and fear: fear of the unknown, of the "other", other cultures, religions and nations. Intolerance is also closely linked to an exaggerated sense of self-worth and pride: notions taught and learned at an early age. Therefore in coming years, we need to place greater emphasis on educating children about tolerance, human rights and fundamental freedoms. But we should not forget that education does not end in school, that adults - firstly as individuals capable of committing acts of intolerance but more importantly in their capacity as parents, law-makers and law-enforcement officials - also need to be considered a priority target of our educational efforts. An International Day for Tolerance can serve as an annual occasion for tolerance education as well as for wider social and political reflection and debate on local and global problems of intolerance. It is a moment to take stock of the progress made during the year and to propose fresh policies to close remaining gaps.

(Source: UNESCO)

Selected learning materials

For teachers
All Different, All Equal education pack
The material was developed for audiences 14 years of age and older. The Education Pack is a book intended for use in informal education settings but activities may also be incorporated into the classroom setting.

Education for Democratic Citizenship: Teacher's Guide
This manual is a very practical introduction for first time teachers of citizenship education.

"Guidelines for Teaching About the Holocaust" (in: Teaching about the Holocaust: A Resourcebook for Educators)
This guide provides methodological guidelines for teaching about the Holocaust. It also addresses questions about why to teach Holocaust history and offers suggestions on how to incorporate the study of the Holocaust into existing courses such as world history, government/civics, philosophy and literature.

Tolerance: the threshold of peace. A teaching/learning guide for peace, human rights and democracy (UNESCO)
This is a resource document with exemplary programmes, lesson plans and teaching units that can be used by classroom teachers, teacher educators, community leaders, parents, youth and social workers.

Useful links

A Global Quest for Tolerance (UNESCO)

Ten Ideas for Observing the International Day for Tolerance

International Network for Tolerance Education

Teaching Tolerance (USA)

Declaration of Principles on Tolerance

Other International Days