Deconstruct Project

What role can education play in Holocaust remembrance and critical thinking?

We’re sharing key insights from the DECONSTRUCT final assessment report, based on feedback from students and teachers involved in the project.

👩‍🏫 Teachers remain essential
Students still identify teachers and school-based resources as their main source of learning about the Holocaust. At the same time, their information habits are changing rapidly: AI tools, online news, blogs and social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram or YouTube are becoming increasingly important sources of information.

This shift makes critical thinking and media literacy more important than ever — especially when young people encounter sensitive historical topics in digital spaces.

🎥 Personal stories make history more tangible
A central element of DECONSTRUCT was the use of newly developed IWitness learning modules. IWitness is the USC Shoah Foundation’s digital educational platform, offering video testimonies of survivors and witnesses of genocide, together with classroom-ready learning activities.

The evaluation shows that these personal testimonies helped students approach the Holocaust not only as a historical event, but also through human experiences and individual life stories. This supported deeper reflection on remembrance, responsibility, discrimination and the consequences of distortion.

📊 Strengthening media literacy and historical awareness
Students reported that the materials helped them better recognise Holocaust distortion, think more critically about information, and understand people from different cultural backgrounds.

Teachers also gave highly positive feedback: they found the training practical and useful for their professional work, especially in supporting Holocaust education, addressing misinformation, and developing students’ critical thinking skills.
The findings show that testimony-based digital learning and well-designed teacher training can play an important role in keeping Holocaust remembrance meaningful in today’s changing information environment.

🌍 Great news from Greece!

We’re proud to share that the DECONSTRUCT project is gaining visibility in Greece
Following our student video contest, the winning project has been featured in major Greek media outlets, highlighting not only the creativity and dedication of the students, but also the broader mission of DECONSTRUCT: addressing Holocaust distortion and misinformation through education and digital storytelling.

📰 The coverage reflects the real impact of engaging young people in preserving historical truth and fostering critical thinking. It’s especially encouraging to see this important conversation move beyond the classroom and into the public sphere.

👏 Congratulations to the students for their powerful work – and thank you to our partners for making this possible!

🔗 Read the articles:
https://www.amna.gr/macedonia/article/983233/Proti-thesi-gia-mathitries-tou-7ou-GEL-ston-diagonismo-Ta-gegonota-se-proto-plano

https://parallaximag.gr/thessaloniki-news/thessaloniki-mathitries-toy-7oy-gel-afigithikan-ti-friki-ton-aoysvits-mpirkenaoy-mesa-apo-ena-vinteo

Πρώτη θέση για μαθήτριες του 7ου ΓΕΛ στον διαγωνισμό «Τα γεγονότα σε πρώτο πλάνο»

🟠 As part of our DECONSTRUCT results series, we are highlighting key outputs of the project—this time focusing on the awareness raising campaign.
How can we respond to the growing spread of Holocaust distortion in public discourse?

The campaign is a global awareness raising initiative originally launched by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), and further implemented within the DECONSTRUCT project across Greece, Hungary, Italy and Portugal.

📢 The campaign addresses a concerning trend:
the increasing tendency of public figures and institutions to minimise, misrepresent, or distort the history and impact of the Holocaust.

Within DECONSTRUCT, the campaign was adapted to local contexts and implemented in each partner country in their own language, ensuring relevance and accessibility:
– Greek – Προστατέψτε Τα Γεγονότα
– Hungarian – Védd a Tényeket
– Italian – Proteggi I Fatti
– Portuguese – Proteja Os Factos

The initiative combined:
– dedicated social media outreach
– locally tailored awareness raising content
– targeted engagement with educators and decision-makers

🎯 By connecting digital communication with educational activities, the campaign reached both the wider public and key actors in the education sector.

💡 Why it matters
Holocaust distortion not only disrespects victims and survivors—it also poses a direct threat to democratic values. Strengthening public awareness is essential to counter misinformation and uphold historical truth.

👉 Learn more about the campaign and explore the materials:
https://iwitness.usc.edu/sites/deconstruct?at=mk

🟠 Building on the insights shared in our previous posts, we now highlight the Executive Summary of the DECONSTRUCT baseline research.

What have we learned about Holocaust education and distortion across Europe?

The Executive Summary brings together the key findings of the research conducted in Greece, Hungary, Italy and Portugal, offering a concise overview of the main trends, challenges, and lessons learned.

📊 The report synthesises:
– the research process and methodology
– findings on students’ information use, trust, and media literacy
– insights into how Holocaust knowledge is shaped across educational contexts

It also reflects on broader challenges identified across the four countries:
– uneven integration of Holocaust education into curricula
– differences in institutional support and teaching approaches
– the continued presence of distortion in public discourse

💡 What does this tell us?
The findings confirm that education plays a crucial role—not only in preserving historical knowledge, but also in strengthening critical thinking and resilience against misinformation.

👉 The Executive Summary provides a clear and accessible entry point to the project’s research and conclusions.

➡️ Download the Executive Summary:
https://iwitness.usc.edu/sites/deconstruct?at=rg
➡️ Explore the full DECONSTRUCT platform:
https://iwitness.usc.edu/sites/deconstruct?at=ln

🟠 As part of our DECONSTRUCT results series, we are sharing key findings from the project’s baseline research—this time focusing on how students perceive and identify misinformation.

Students feel confident navigating information online—but how well do they actually identify misinformation?

The research reveals a clear tension:
– a majority of students report feeling confident in their ability to identify fake news (55% agree or strongly agree)
– yet 36% say they often find it difficult to determine whether online information is true or credible

📊 The data also shows that trust in online content remains limited:
👉 only a small share of students consider most social media news reliable

💡 Why it matters
This points to a critical gap between perceived and actual media literacy skills.

➡️Strengthening critical thinking and media literacy education remains essential, particularly when addressing complex and sensitive topics such as the Holocaust.
➡️These results are further explored in the project’s Executive Summary.

🟠 As part of our DECONSTRUCT results series, we are sharing key findings from the project’s baseline research—this time focusing on trust and sources of information.
Who do students trust when it comes to information?

The findings highlight a clear and consistent pattern:

👉 teachers remain the most trusted source of information among students (68%)
At the same time, the data also shows that:
– social media platforms rank among the least trusted sources (with 70% placing them in the lowest trust category)
– AI tools and digital platforms are present, but not yet dominant sources of trust
– schools play a central role in shaping knowledge about the Holocaust

📊 The second graphic further reinforces this, showing that 97% of students report learning about the Holocaust through teachers or school-based resources.

💡 What does this mean?
Education systems remain one of the most reliable entry points for strengthening critical thinking and countering misinformation.

➡️ This creates a strong foundation—but also a clear responsibility—for educators.
➡️ These findings are further detailed in the project’s Executive Summary.

🟠 As the DECONSTRUCT project comes to a close, we would like to highlight key insights from our work, beginning with the baseline research.

How do young people understand the Holocaust—and how do they navigate misinformation today?

This post draws on the project’s research on Holocaust education and disinformation among secondary school students in Europe.

As part of the project, a cross-country study was conducted combining multiple research methods. The process included:
– desk research to map the existing landscape
– 40 teacher interviews to capture educational perspectives
– and a student survey involving 364 secondary school students from Greece, Hungary, Italy and Portugal

The student sample reflects a diverse group across the participating countries. The majority of respondents were female (60%), with representation from Greece, Hungary, Italy and Portugal. Most students came from relatively well-resourced households (79%) and urban or semi-urban areas (83%). In terms of education background, a significant share of parents—particularly mothers—held higher education degrees, while students were primarily in upper secondary education, with over half in their final school year.

🎯 The aim of the research was to support the development of educational materials focusing on Holocaust education, distortion, and media literacy.
The research explores how students:
– access and evaluate information
– perceive fake news and distortion
– and engage with Holocaust-related knowledge

💡 Why it matters
In a digital environment shaped by fast-moving and often unreliable information, understanding how young people assess truth is essential.

➡️ These insights are further explored in the project’s Executive Summary.

📍 DECONSTRUCT Project Closing Meeting in Budapest

We successfully held the final in-person meeting of the DECONSTRUCT project on 14–16 April 2026 in Budapest 🇭🇺, where consortium partners gathered to close the project and review key results.

💡The project focuses on strengthening critical thinking and social awareness, with a strong emphasis on countering disinformation and developing innovative educational tools.

💬During the meeting, interactive World Café sessions led by Zachor and HÉTFA allowed partners to discuss results, challenges, and experiences in a collaborative format.

🤝As a project partner, HÉTFA Research Institute contributed to content development, project evaluation, and the preparation of the final report and sustainability plan.

We thank all partners for their cooperation and commitment that made DECONSTRUCT an impactful collaboration. 🌍

🎯 The DECONSTRUCT International Stakeholder Event successfully concluded in Budapest

On April 15, 2026, the DECONSTRUCT project brought together educators, policymakers, and experts at Európa Pont to reflect on project results and exchange knowledge on countering Holocaust distortion and disinformation.

🔎 What happened?
The event provided a platform for dialogue between research, education, and policy, addressing the growing challenges of Holocaust distortion and antisemitism in today’s digital and public spaces.
Participants engaged with:
– key insights on contemporary forms of Holocaust distortion
– research findings and educational tools developed within DECONSTRUCT
– international and local good practices
– practical classroom experiences from educators

💡 Why it matters
The discussions highlighted the crucial role of education and media literacy in strengthening critical thinking and building resilience against disinformation.

📊 Key takeaway
Education is not only about knowledge transfer—it is a key tool in addressing distortion, fostering critical thinking, and supporting democratic resilience.

👉 Learn more about the project and access its resources:
https://iwitness.usc.edu/sites/deconstruct?at=ln

⏰ Reminder – DECONSTRUCT International Stakeholder Event

The DECONSTRUCT project is coming to a close with an international stakeholder event in Budapest — and the date is fast approaching.
📅 April 15, 2026 | 9:00–14:00
📍 Európa Pont, Lövőház u. 35., Budapest 1024

🔎 Join educators, policymakers, and international experts to explore:
– the latest insights on Holocaust distortion and disinformation
– research findings and educational tools developed within DECONSTRUCT
– good practices from across Europe
– real classroom experiences from educators

🎤 Featuring a keynote by Kathrin Meyer, former General Secretary of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, alongside panel discussions with leading international and Hungarian experts.

💡 Why join?
This event creates a unique space for dialogue between research, education, and policy—focusing on how to strengthen critical thinking and counter disinformation through education.

👉 Learn more about DECONSTRUCT:
https://iwitness.usc.edu/sites/deconstruct?at=ln
✅ Register now:
https://forms.gle/c85qrFWV8oJLU2Jz9