The Koldo Mitxelena Institute in Vitoria-Gasteiz has launched a website for the coming days: It's the memory worm. With the help of the educational community, the new generations have launched an initiative to get to know and seek the truth about what has been hidden and silenced in the past.

Why did you start the project?

We start from a concern that arose in the center itself. We must bear in mind that our students are from the twenty-first century and that many do not know those harsh situations that are the history close to us. So we thought we had to work something. At first, instead of looking at the Basque Country, we looked at our centre; at the school we wanted to offer teachers material to work the historical memory, so that they could integrate it into their program. In the end, we started collecting works from different places in Euskal Herria, and we decided it was better to extend them to the entire educational community.

What resources does this website offer?

It works on different issues, but it has two areas. On the one hand, we have complete and concrete didactic proposals, composed by us, such as texts, activities and commentary exercises of films. On the other hand, we have collected all the material we have been able to so that the teachers can make our personal proposals and that everyone can include them in their programming.

There are, therefore, works that can be given in different subjects.

That's it. Many times we put all the weight into the history lesson, but it can also lead to other lessons. For example, it is a very appropriate topic for working values in ethics. There are also some units to work in plastic, philosophy or psychology, and in all languages. We have carried out a collection of the materials we offer to the faculty and with what we have found elsewhere. In this way, there is an excuse to work together on your theme and your historical memory.

What kind of material have you collected?

Varied. We have found very well classified literary works, in this case only in Basque. There are also many audiovisuals, including films and testimonies. Unfortunately, and as a curiosity, we have found few Alavese audiovisuals. We have focused on 3 March, we have fitted it in and worked hard, but we have left the rest a little forgotten. For example, I know a book about the 1936 war, but among the audiovisuals, I found nothing else. Maybe yes, but I haven't seen it at all yet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are there deficiencies among students?

Yes. You are well aware of what happened on 3 March, as we work on it every year, and we also have the Zaramaga district next to us. But they don't know much about what happened in Franco. And we've had people brought on our own initiative by some professors, persecuted during Franco's time, but that's where it's all been. Our intention is to include some units within the programming, well-defined and structured each year, 3 and 4. In ESO and Baccalaureate levels.

Is this deficiency perceived throughout the Basque Country?

I think so. There is a tendency to organise a special initiative of this kind, and there is usually a habit of "campaign", that is, of dealing with a particular subject in a week. But they stay in loose initiatives, nothing else. We should include in the programs the issues we consider necessary to relate them to our subject and keep them in the next courses. This would be a follow-up to the issue. I believe that the same thing is happening in other peoples. Perhaps in Gernika, Durango, Otxandio or where they hit those times they have dealt with the issue more deeply, but I believe that elsewhere there will be a gap just as in our own. In any case, historical memory is now being made public. So far we have done nothing.

How do students see this project? Have you shown interest?

In general, you see the stranger, but it's true that he depends on the kind of student. In fact, some families work more on the subject and others do not. I think age also has to do with it. In the Baccalaureate there are, above all, more interests. In ESO, there are still some who are on their way, and to address these issues it is better to have that point of maturity, because it is easier to deal with. However, if you are interested, it is after all our history and also its history. In addition, if you turn to the families, surely there will be some family member who lived at that time, some grandfather or at least someone who has known Franco.

Who did you count on to complete it?

The March 3 Association left us its unity and facilitated our contacts. Then, for our part, we will also be completing and rounding, but we are open to input, of course.

When will you start it?

We are in the start-up phase. Right now, we've opened it to all the professors, all the subjects. What can be done and where should be seen in each of them and at what level. Then we're going to make a kind of map where you're working on something to see at the level. As I have already said, the most important thing for us is to stay in the programming, not just be an issue that is going to be done this year.