POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews (Poland), together with its partners from the Mémorial de la Shoah (France), the Žanis Lipke Memorial (Latvia) and the Holocaust Fund of the Jews from Macedonia (North Macedonia) is implementing the “Nonviolent Communication Approach in Adult Education in Historical Museums and Memorial Sites” project. The aim of the project, implemented as part of the Erasmus+ Program, is to introduce the method of “Nonviolent Communication” into the daily work of institutional teams and, through it, to activate groups of adult recipients in the field of expanding their knowledge about the Holocaust in Europe.

“Nonviolent Communication” (NVC) is a method developed by Dr. Marshall B. Rosenberg, a psychologist and peace activist, in the 1960s. It aims to support dialogue between people and build societies based on empathy and taking into account the needs of each person. It helps in the conscious choice of words to express what we feel and what we want and to increase the chance of mutual understanding.

By initiating the “Nonviolent Communication Approach” in 2020, POLIN Museum proposed to use the NVC method in communicating with its own audience and that of the partner institutions invited into the project. The aim of the project is to introduce this method into the daily work of institutional teams and, through it, to activate groups of adult audiences, primarily in the field of expanding knowledge about the Holocaust in Europe. The practice of partner institutions shows that this topic, as it evokes social discussions, often emotional and burdened with political contexts or stereotypes, requires special attention. During the seminars, consortium members exchange experiences related to difficult situations in dealing with the public and practice using the method of empathetic communication in their work with the audience.

Today, in the face of the ongoing war in Ukraine, museums and memorials, that deal with the topic of the Holocaust, are confronted with the question of what role they must play today. How should the memory of important events in the history of the twentieth century, to which they are devoted, be situated in the face of the tragic situation and the needs of the victims of the war going on here and now in Europe, and whether and how empathetic communication can be used in this situation? These are the questions that the project participants will raise, among others, during the next seminar at the Žanis Lipke Memorial in Riga, which will take place in the summer of 2022.

So far, project participants have met twice. The first seminar, with NVC trainer Magdalena Malinowska, took place online in June 2021. It was mainly devoted to learning the theoretical basics of the “Nonviolent Communication” and to using it in practice. The participants trained the four steps of NVC: observing, defining own feelings and needs, and formulating requests.

For the second time, and for the first time in person, the project participants met in Paris, at the Mémorial de la Shoah, in February 2022. Under the supervision of Karine Ducrot, NVC trainer, they practiced empathetic communication by, for instance, recognising non-empathetic messages and distinguishing “jackal language” (accusing oneself and others) from “giraffe language” (empathetic attitude towards oneself and others). In-depth training in the field of communication was intertwined with equally important meetings with the Mémorial de la Shoah staff, such as Karen Taieb, Lior Lalieu-Smadja, Ariel Sion and Delphine Barre. In the example of the “Hall of names” (i.e. a commemoration presenting the names of Jews deported from France to death centres), as well as selected parts of the Mémorial de la Shoah permanent exhibition and contacts with guests of the Photographic Documentation Department in this institution, the participants - constantly assisted by the NVC trainer - discussed the difficult communication situations with visitors of the Mémorial de la Shoah.

These difficulties, in the French context, include, among others, diverse knowledge of the guests about the terminology related to such concepts as the Holocaust, genocide, ethnic cleansing, as well as the phenomenon of memory clashes around the Holocaust among various social groups in France. In each of the cases discussed, the participants tried to imagine the emotions of the visitors and the needs behind them.

The great usefulness of the project is evidenced by the comments of the project participants, who appreciated the value of empathetic communication, while constantly taking under consideration the circumstances under which it can and cannot be used.

“I admit that I still have a long way to go to reach Rosenberg’s level, especially in the context of the war in Ukraine, which makes me feel anger and pain”, says Maija Meiere-Oša, an educator at Žanis Lipke Memorial. “Thanks to the use of 'giraffe language', however, I already have a better understanding of my emotions, from what needs they stem and I try to show myself empathy. I believe that we can try to stay true to the ideals of peace, conversation and compassion, true to the mission of the Žanis Lipke Memorial and to make the world a better place by spreading the message of courage and humanity as values that unite people”.

“Learning and trying to practice NVC had a liberating effect on me”, adds Joanna Król-Komła, head of the Digital Collection Department at POLIN Museum. “Thanks to, among others, using the four-step method, I understand my emotional states better, I identify from where they come, thanks to which I can help myself and others in various communication situations. I translate this into my working practice in the museum. I try to make my relations with other people as honest as possible, especially if they are more difficult for me, because they lack, for example, cordiality, but are necessary for me in the performance of my professional duties. In relationships, including those at the crossroads of cultures, e.g. with museum collaborators from other countries, I use the technique of openly guessing their emotions in order for us to better understand each other. I comment a lot on the benefits of NVC in my work, but I emphasise that empathic communication is useful in various areas of life - at work, at home, with neighbours, with loved ones from your own family, with friends and strangers.”

As part of the project, further seminar meetings are planned in Riga, Skopje and Warsaw. One of the results of the project, which will end in August 2023, will be the creation of a consortium which, in turn, will help employees of historical museums and memorials to deepen their expert knowledge and develop a sense of community in their professional experiences on the European level. In the perspective of long-term benefits, it will be possible to introduce, into these institutions, a model of active communication with adult guests, especially those who would like to broaden their knowledge about various historical contexts of the Holocaust in Europe. The outcomes of the project will be compiled into a compendium of best practices and recommendations published on the EPALE (European Platform for Adult Learning in Europe), available to all users of the Erasmus+ platform.

Project is co-financed by the European Commission under the Erasmus + program.

*The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.