During 2007-2009 MBHR (with support of "Claims Conference") executes the implementation of the project “Arrangement of workshops on the Holocaust history for mass media representatives”. 

The Holocaust tragedy is one the most dreadful catastrophes of the 20th century and the whole history. It showed what inhuman consequences can anti-Semitism and Nazi ideology cause. 6 mln. Jews were killed - women, children, the old. These were people who lost the most precious – their lives just due to the fact they were Jews. Ideology of hatred gave birth to monstrous elimination machine – death camps, mobile gas chambers, crematoriums, ramparts where the guiltless were executed, ghettos where people died due to hanger and humiliations… An ideological industry of hatred was created: films, radio, books, hundreds of newspapers where the idea of inferiority of the Jews was cultivated and then – appeals to their total elimination and justification of these deaths. The inhuman ideological conveyor had executed its task having trained the monsters who killed not just without regret but with delight. 

The International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust is still not marked broadly in Russia, and there are still not enough mentions about this tragedy in the school manuals. Dozens of the Holocaust deniers are active, dozens of books and newspapers are published denying the Holocaust. Anti-Semitism is heard in mass media, at marginal meetings of chauvinists and in the politicians’ rhetoric.

The problem of intolerant attitude towards representatives of ethnic minorities and religions became strained recently in Russian Federation. This caused the growth of various xenophobia types: Caucasian-phobia, anti-Semitism, migrant-phobia (being associated mostly with ethnic motifs). Mass media play very important role in the society life and affect the formation of moods, beliefs and views of the people greatly, so displacement of materials containing “language of hatred” from mass media with materials training respect and promoting mutual understanding with ethnic minority representatives no doubt affects the formation of tolerant purposes in the society. And such materials can be created just by the journalists being convinced of necessity of tolerant attitude towards representatives of various nations and believers of various religions.

Correspondingly, the following became the project objective: studying of the Holocaust history, its ideological basis and forms of its manifestation on one hand and simultaneously formation of tolerant attitude of Russian journalists towards representatives of ethnic minorities and other vulnerable groups in Russian society on the other hand. During the project implementation the journalists learnt about the history of the Holocaust tragedy, ideology of anti-Semitism and neo-Nazism, contemporary manifestations of the Holocaust denial, and problems of xenophobia, racism and anti-Semitism today.

The project induced the journalists to study this subject profoundly, work with archives, find the righteous who saved the Jews, in their regions, and tell the readers about their feat. They would learnt and why the Holocaust is remembered in other countries, how it is studied at schools and in colleges, what the foreign editions write about this. The project participants familiarized with experience of work of Yad Va-Shem and memorial complex in Oswiencim. During the workshops, the problem of dissemination of fascist editions on the occupied territory of the USSR was considered, anti-Semitic myths were analyzed as well as methods of Nazi propaganda. Many radical mass media in today’s RF willingly use these myths and methods. It’s important to explain the malignancy of these methods to the journalists and clarify the legal liability for those disseminating ideology of dissension and hostility. 

The project is implemented in several stages: 

1. Establishment of academic council of the project including the leading specialists on history and subjects of the Holocaust, lecturers of Moscow universities and experienced journalists. The academic council provided an expert estimate of the teaching method and estimation of the project success.

2. Development and approbation of methods of conducting the training studies with the journalists, selection of lecturers and moderators for discussions and round tables.

For development and approbation of methods of conducting the studies with journalists, leading specialists-historians and methodologists were attracted from the Fund “Holocaust”, Center of scholars and lecturers of Judaics “Sefer” and Moscow universities.

3. Formation of membership of the project participants – journalists.

The project information was sent to editorial offices of Moscow mass media proposing to take part in it. A group (100 persons) was formed from among the journalists who accepted this proposal. Priority was given to the journalists being well-known, affecting the public opinion mostly and assembling broad audience.

4. Arrangement of training studies consisting of a lecture cycle, round tables and discussions on the subjects:

- history of introduction of anti-Semitic idea into Nazi ideology;

- history and practice of anti-Semitism in Hitler’s Germany;

- Holocaust, its peculiarities in the Soviet Union and in the West;

- documentary evidences of the Holocaust, memoirs of victims and executioners;

- danger of the Holocaust revisionism;

- notions of Holocaust in public opinion of the Russians.

5. Journalist contest of works on the subject of history and estimation of Holocaust.

The contest was participated by journalists - project participants. An authoritative contest jury was formed including the leading journalists, public figures and specialists.

Articles and other materials were attracted to the contest intended for publication in printed mass media and on the Internet, as well as scenarios and projects for radio and TV.

6. Continuation of training for the most distinguished project participants. 

Totally during 2008 five teaching regional workshops were conducted within the project for mass media representatives in Yaroslavl, Samara, Volgograd, Vladikavkaz and St. Petersburg. Representatives of public associations and regional authorities were also invited to these workshops. During the meeting with journalists the problems of counteraction to neo-fascist and national-radial organizations in Russia were discussed, presentation of research book on Russian skinheads took place, the Holocaust history was studied and discussion on the subject of the Holocaust deniers’ activity took place. During the discussion at workshops it was brought to the notice of mass media representatives that misunderstanding of the Holocaust phenomenon and new revisionist myths have the ground of traditional everyday anti-Semitism in Russia, and this leads to appearing of negative attitude towards the Jews in general. 

1. On March 12-13, 2008 the legal school-workshop “Holocaust – memory and warning. History of interethnic relations in Russia and ways of overcoming xenophobia, anti-Semitism and discrimination” was arranged in Yaroslavl”.  

The following spoke during the workshop: A.I. Makarov, assistant plenipotentiary of the RF President in the Central federal district; A.S. Brod, director of Moscow bureau for human rights, member of the Public chamber of RF; Yu.V. Novikov, professor, academician of Russian academy of medical sciences, member of the Public chamber of RF; G.B. Mirzoyev, president of Guild of Russian lawyers; A.P. Galoganov, president of Federal union of lawyers of Russia; G.A. Kroshner, major general of justice, vice-president of Russian Jewish congress; V.M. Gongadze, lieutenant general, professor of Voronezh branch of Russian academy of public service; Ye.V. Proshechkin, chairman of Moscow anti-fascist center; B.N. Panteleyev, councilor of justice, director of Agency of legal information “Man and law”; A.S. Madatov, Ph. D., associate professor of chair of political sciences of Russian university of friendship of nations. 

Journalists from Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Moscow, Tver, Kostroma and Ivanovo regions, NGO leaders, law-enforcement body employees and authority representatives participated in the workshop.  

2. On May 16, 2008 the workshop and round table “Increase of efficiency of work of law-enforcement bodies and mass media due to escalation of xenophobia and intolerance in Russia. Remembrance of the Holocaust” took place in Samara. 

Specialists and experts from Moscow spoke at the workshop and conducted the round table: A.S. Brod, member of the Public chamber of RF, director of Moscow bureau for human rights; G.B. Mirzoyev, president of Guild of Russian lawyers, rector of Russian academy of advocateship, member of the Council on the problems of justice improvement of the RF President, head of the project “I have the right” (“Improvement of justice and advocateship with NGOs efforts”); G.A. Kroshner, major general of justice, honored jurist of Russia; N.G. Propirny, executive vice-president of Russian Jewish congress; Ye.V. Proshechkin, chairman of Moscow anti-fascist center. 

Journalists from Samara, Saratov, Nizhniy Novgorod, Ulyanovsk regions, Kazan, Togliatti as well as NGO leaders, law-enforcement body employees and authority representatives participated in the workshop. 

3. On September 8, 2008 the workshop “Legal school for journalists, state and law-enforcement body employees with the purpose of overcoming anti-Semitism and xenophobia as extremism manifestations. Studying of the Holocaust tragedy” was conducted in Volgograd. 

The following spoke during the workshop: A.S. Brod, member of the Public chamber of RF, director of Moscow bureau for human rights; Ye.V. Proshechkin, chairman of Moscow anti-fascist center; R.S. Kirakosyan, lawyer of Moscow bureau for human rights; V. Gershberg, expert of Moscow anti-fascist center; Ya. Ioffe, chairman of council of Volgograd Jewish community center; O. Opolonskaya, executive director of Volgograd regional public organization of social initiatives’ support “Citizens”. 

Journalists of regional and city editions, employees of various structures of regional and city administrations, regional Directorate of home affairs (GUVD), members of regional branches of leading political parties and deputies of the Regional duma participated in the workshop. 

4. On September 12-13, 2008 the workshop “Holocaust - to remember and have no repetition. Legal school for journalists, state and law-enforcement body employees with the purpose of overcoming anti-Semitism and xenophobia as extremism manifestations” took place in St. Petersburg. 

The following spoke during the workshop: A.S. Brod, member of the Public chamber of RF, director of Moscow bureau for human rights; G.A. Kroshner, major general of justice; M.A. Melnikov, 1st class State councilor, political scientist; D.Z. Mutagirov, professor of St. Petersburg state university, director of Center for studies of human and national rights; Ye.V. Proshechkin, chairman of Moscow anti-fascist center; R.S. Kirakosyan, lawyer of Moscow bureau for human rights; Ye.L. Bestuzhev, expert of Center of humanitarian and political sciences “Strategy” (St. Petersburg); K.V. Bendas, member of council of experts of the State Duma of RF on the problems of public associations and religious organizations; V.G. Uzunova, senior research fellow of Museum of anthropology and ethnography. 

The following participated in the workshop: journalists of regional and city editions, representatives of administration of St. Petersburg and Leningrad region, representatives of legislative assembly of St. Petersburg, employees of law-enforcement bodies, office of public prosecutor, judicial corps, local authorities, educational institutions, members of the RF Public chamber, advocateship bodies, representatives of the staff of Commissioner on human rights in RF, of religious communities, heads of ethnic communities, representatives of creative intellectuals and scientists. 

5. On September 15, 2008 the workshop “Holocaust – distant and close history. Development of tolerance and interethnic dialogue in contemporary society” was conducted in Vladikavkaz.

The following spoke during the workshop: A. Brod, director of Moscow bureau for human rights, member of the RF Public chamber; D. Tsvibel, chairman of Jewish national-cultural autonomy of Republic of Karelia; N. Nikolayeva, chairman of Russian association of emigrants of Britain; A. Gurevich, head of department on interaction with armed forces and law-enforcement bodies of FEOR; M. Yalovaya, member of Council of continental sections of the World congress of Russian Jewry (from Federal republic of Germany); E. Vilenchik, executive director of Israeli forum of the World congress of Russian Jewry; L. Bard, executive director of American forum of the World congress of Russian Jewry; S. Danilova, member of board of administration of the World congress of highland Jews; M. Petrushansky, chairman of Jewish community of Vladikavkaz.

Representatives of regional and city editions of South federal district participated in the workshop. 

The following problems were discussed during the workshops: 

• tragedy of Holocaust. Lessons of the history;
• problem of Holocaust and neo-Nazism in today’s Russia;
• problem of the Holocaust denial and analysis of activity of radical organizations and radical mass media in RF;
• problems of reflection of the Holocaust tragedy in contemporary Russian and foreign mass media;
• methods of controversy of Russian journalists against modern Holocaust deniers;
• technology of work with archival materials about Holocaust and their reflection in media-space;
• reflection of feat of the righteous in Russian and foreign mass media;
• interaction of mass media and Jewish NGOs, experts on informational exchange within the studying of the subject of the Holocaust tragedy;
• problems of modern neo-Nazism: comparative analysis of situation in Russia and abroad;
• problems of prevention and overcoming of racism, xenophobia and ethnic discrimination;
• contemporary problems of counteraction to anti-Semitism as an extremism manifestation: problems of theory and practice;
• problems of development of interethnic dialogue, prevention of intolerance, formation of tolerance and legal education;
• problems of interethnic consent, development of tolerance and mass media;
• problems of preventing the “language of hostility” in federal and regional mass media;
• review of Russian legislation envisaging liability for incitement of interethnic dissention and extremism;
• anti-Semitism and xenophobia in the political sphere;
• reasons for anti-Semitism, xenophobia and intolerance, ways of their removal;
• ways of avoidance and prevention of xenophobia and aggression;
• problems of expert examination of radical texts;
• ways of interaction of NGOs and authorities, mass media for prevention of anti-Semitism and xenophobia;
• problems of improvement of anti-extremist legislation in RF;
• ethno-political situation and role of mass media, state structures and public in improvement of interethnic relations: comparative analysis of situation in RF and abroad.

Various ways of presenting the material were used during the workshops: lectures, discussions, questions-answers, round tables, work in groups, watching of video-materials. 

Within the project the book by Sergey Belikov was published "Nazi militants. Participation of youth in activity of militant terrorist organizations as a destabilizing factor on interethnic relations in contemporary Russia" (edited by V.I. Ilyushenko, Moscow, 2008) disseminated among the workshops’ participants. 

During the project implementation the project news, articles, interviews, reviews were published on MBHR web-site; the journalists – workshops’ participants were their authors. The public, the partners and other interested parties were informed about the project progress operatively. Corresponding information about the project progress was dispatched weekly according to MBHR mailing list (more than 5000 e-mail addresses of NGOs, mass media, representatives of authorities, law-enforcement bodies, diplomats, cultural figures etc).