Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides to be taught in NSW schools

·

The Joint Justice Initiative (JJI) has welcomed the final History Syllabus for Years 7 to 10 released by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), which includes the mandatory study of ‘Australia’s civic action and humanitarian response during World War I’.

The historic achievement will be implemented in 2027, ensuring all NSW students will learn about the actions of everyday Australians and New Zealanders who participated in humanitarian efforts during WW1, including initiatives that saved survivors of the Ottoman Empire’s Genocide of the Armenians, Assyrians and Hellenes.

In accordance with the Syllabus released by NESA, within the Depth study (core) – Australia: making a nation – from Federation to WWI (1889 – c. 1919), teachers must guide their students through ‘Significant groups, individuals, ideas, beliefs, practices and events in Australia: making a nation – from Federation to WWI’. This includes ‘Australia’s civic action and humanitarian response during WWI’.

The Armenian National Committee of Australia was informed of this historic inclusion in a formal letter sent from the Minister for Education, the Hon. Prue Car MP, a week prior to the official release of the History Curriculum.

Smyrna ablaze, 1922. Photo: Greek Genocide Resource Centre.

The inclusion comes following a motion unanimously adopted in the NSW Legislative Council calling for mandated Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocide education and the establishment of a museum, as well as a letter co-signed by over 25 academics calling for the inclusion in the Curriculum.

Since 2020, the JJI made up of the peak public affairs bodies of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek communities in Australia has been at the forefront of efforts to achieve federal recognition of the Genocides of the Indigenous Armenians, Assyrians and Hellenes of Anatolia and Mesopotamia.

Armenian National Committee of Australia Executive Director Michael Kolokossian said, “This is the beginning of a new era in the pursuit for genocide recognition, where awareness and education will play a pivotal role. By ensuring that future generations learn about humanitarianism during the 1915 Genocides, we are also equipping students with the knowledge to stand against future atrocities.”

Scholarship on the Genocides, especially the Anzac and broader Australian connection to efforts to rescue survivors around the eastern Mediterranean by members of the Australian Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies (AIHGS), including Professor Peter Stanley and Mr Vicken Babkenian, who co-authored ‘Australia-Armenia & the Great War’, has been a cornerstone of recognition efforts.

The JJI and the AIHGS are committed to developing resources ready for Australian classrooms over the next two years, with the new Syllabus to be implemented from the 2027 school year.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Capturing legacies: The proika exhibition’s emotional tribute to Greek migrants

On Wednesday, November 20, the proika exhibition opened to a crowd of eager guests at the Thematikos x MBO Tailors creative space.

Golden Era Gala: A reunion with a cause to combat brain and rare cancers

White Pearl Foundation and Cquence Foundation have announced the Golden Era Gala to be held at the Hyatt Regency Sydney on November 30.

Melbourne scientist Steven Petratos offers hope to thousands with multiple sclerosis

The image of Steven Petratos’ grandfather, confined to a chair with trembling hands, left an indelible mark on his childhood.

Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett to launch book on Nick Thyssen’s legacy

Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett, supporter of Greece and its diaspora, will launch the biography of Nick Thyssen (Nikos Theodosiadis).

Ithacans in Melbourne enjoy sell-out film screening to support archaeological preservation

On Sunday, at Palace Como in Melbourne, a sell-out crowd of 135 Ithacans and friends gathered to see the historical epic, The Return.

You May Also Like

SA Premier officially opens 2023 Greek Film Festival in Adelaide

Presented by the Greek Orthodox Community of SA, the 2023 Greek Film Festival was officially opened with a gala event on Tuesday, October 24.

St Basil’s NSW/ACT to hold ‘1821 Greek Art Exhibition’ in collaboration with Athens War Museum

St Basil's NSW/ACT is set to launch for the very first time the '1821 Greek Art Exhibition' in collaboration with the Athens War Museum.

Mitch Georgiades and Port Adelaide teammates avoid fines for suspected COVID breach

The players claimed they had just finished eating and provided the AFL with credit card receipts that included the times they bought the items.