Our Mission | Centre for Holocaust Education and Scholarship

Mission Statement of the Centre for Holocaust Education and Scholarship (CHES):

To develop educational programs in order to promote knowledge and
understanding of the history and legacy of the Holocaust.
To bring together academics, educators, survivors, students, and
diverse community members, CHES offers year-round programming and events whose objectives include combating antisemitism, prejudice, and racism and promoting respect for diversity, social justice, and human rights.

The Centre for Holocaust Education and Scholarship (CHES), a registered Canadian charity, is supported by a dedicated team of volunteers with extensive experience in developing and presenting Holocaust Education programs.

Our volunteers include our Chair, directors, board members, officers, and committee chairs. They are Holocaust survivors and descendants of survivors as well as educators, lawyers, diplomats, and award-winning communications experts. CHES thanks each of these leaders who give freely of their time so that Holocaust Education is a priority in Ottawa.

CHES is a member of the Zachor Coalition and the Maspik Coalition.

Our Objectives

The Centre for Holocaust Education and Scholarship has the following
objectives:

To promote effective teaching about the Holocaust, antisemitism, and all forms of racism through workshops and other activities for and with teachers, school boards, high school and university students, and the public at large.
To ensure the continuity of Holocaust Education through the active involvement of Holocaust survivors and their descendants.
To promote the development and sharing of teaching resources about the Holocaust.
To marshal educational programming in order to help eliminate racism and engender respect for social justice and human rights.
To remember those who were killed in the Holocaust by preserving and sharing testimonials and memories of Holocaust survivors through commemorative events, speaking engagements in schools, publications, and participation in public discussion.
To recognize excellence in Holocaust Education through the Ari van Mansum award given annually to a local teacher, and through other avenues as appropriate.
To stimulate local, national, and international dialogue about racism, antisemitism, and genocide and to undertake projects in partnership with Holocaust Education Centres in Canada and abroad.
To promote Holocaust scholarship and research in the understanding that all of the above goals are supported and strengthened by rigorous scholarly Holocaust studies research.
To undertake any other project that in the view of the CHES Board of Directors supports the achievement of these objectives.