On October 24, Panevėžys Šaltinio Pro-Gymnasium organized a walking tour.
Students visited places in Panevėžys and the surrounding area that recall the history of the Jewish community. About 120 seventh and eighth-grade students participated in the walk. Teachers from the school accompanied them.
During the route, the group stopped at sites known as stations, including the former ghetto area, the old Jewish cemetery, the synagogue building, and the former Jewish school or gymnasium. At these stops, students prepared by history teacher Ramunė Liesytė presented the history of each place or building.
During the educational walk dedicated to International Tolerance Day, participants walked 11-12 kilometers. The route was designed to familiarize them with the Jewish community of Panevėžys. The walk ended in the Kaizerlingo Forest in Panevėžys district, where part of the Jewish community was murdered in 1941.
Ingrida Vilkienė, Education Program Coordinator for the International Commission, participated in the event. She hopes this active, experiential method will help students understand the history of their town. It may also remind them of its multicultural heritage. The educational tour was organized by the Tolerance Education Center of Šaltinis Pro-Gymnasium in Panevėžys.
