WINNIPEG – A new Manitoba initiative to deepen Holocaust education held its inaugural meeting on October 20, 2025, bringing together public school teachers, practising educators and educational assistants to discuss study tours, classroom resources and strategies to confront antisemitism in schools.
The project, titled Holocaust Memorial Sites Study Tours for Educators or HMSSTE, aims to offer teachers structured, site-based professional development that includes visits to Holocaust memorials and museums in Europe, first person testimony where available, and curricular supports for K-12 classrooms. Organizers said the program will adapt existing models of educator study tours while centring Manitoba priorities and classroom needs.
Kelly Hiebert, a Winnipeg history teacher who has been publicly active in Holocaust education and curriculum development in the province, addressed the gathering. Hiebert said the meeting underscored participants reasons for joining the program. “It was inspiring to hear the ‘Why’ from so many as to the importance for coming on this journey,” he said. Hiebert has previously worked with provincial education authorities on Holocaust curriculum materials and has been recognized for his teaching on the subject.
Attendees discussed program logistics, eligibility and timelines for the first full study tour, which organizers plan to schedule when conditions permit. The proposed itinerary will mirror established educator tours that visit key sites in Poland, Germany and Austria and include guided workshops with historians, archivists and museum educators. Leaders said the tours are intended to equip teachers to teach the Holocaust accurately and to provide students with tools to recognize and resist hate, denial and distortion.
Participants emphasized the pedagogic value of in-person site visits. Educators at the meeting described how direct exposure to memorials, archival materials and survivor testimony can transform classroom instruction, making history tangible and fostering empathy. Organizers highlighted that study tours are accompanied by classroom-ready resources, pre departure training and post-tour follow up to maximize learning transfer.
Manitoba has recently moved to strengthen Holocaust education in its schools. The province selected educators to help develop a new Holocaust unit for high school social studies and to review K-10 materials. Proponents of HMSSTE said the tours will complement provincial curriculum work by providing teachers with authoritative primary sources and pedagogical strategies that are difficult to convey through textbooks alone.
Organizers also discussed accessibility and funding. They said scholarships and subsidies will be sought to ensure the program is open to a broad cross section of Manitoba educators, including those from rural and northern communities. The initiativeโs leaders indicated partnerships with local Jewish organizations, museums and education centres will be integral to program delivery.
The launch comes as educators and Jewish community leaders continue to call for robust classroom instruction on the Holocaust and for proactive measures to combat rising antisemitism and historical distortion. Supporters stressed that accurate Holocaust education serves as a foundation for human rights instruction and civics education more broadly.
HMSSTE leaders invited interested educators and educational assistants to register for follow up sessions and information meetings. They said a detailed schedule and application process for the first study tour will be released in the coming weeks. Organizers encouraged school divisions to support teacher participation as a professional learning priority.
This article is based on verified information from HolocaustStudy.org, social media announcements by project organizers and Manitoba education reporting including the Winnipeg Free Press, Limmud Winnipeg and related public materials.