The theme of the 5th OHTE Annual Conference "History at all costs?" has been defined in relation to contemporary events affecting European society. For several years, the Council of Europe and its member states have been facing a series of crises on a continental scale, but have also been affected by global events. Economics has played a central role throughout history, and the study of economic crises is particularly important for understanding how societies demonstrate resilience and adaptability in times of financial collapse. From the Great Depression of the 1930s to the financial crisis of 2008, and from the monetary crises of the 19th century to those of medieval and ancient times, these events offer vital lessons on risk management, public policies, and the social effects of economic downturns. Teaching about these crises transforms history into a key tool for understanding contemporary challenges.
The GEI and EFREC coordinated the second thematic report, 'Economic Crises in History Teaching,' for the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe (OHTE) of the Council of Europe. The report will be published at OHTE's annual conference, which will take place on 16-17 October2025 in the Palais de l'Europe in Strasbourg. The conference can also be attended online.
The OHTE report on “Economic Crises in History Teaching” analyses how economic crises are approached in both curricula and textbooks in secondary school history education and includes an exploratory study on teachers' experiences across the member states. Given that economic crises represent a fundamental challenge for individual lives and democratic governance, the report aims to investigate how young people can use knowledge of the past to take on the challenges of the present and future.
See the conference programme in English.
More information about OHTE and its thematic reports you can find here.
