Published 13 May 2026

Remembering the victims and heroes of deportation through education and memory

How can education help preserve memory and combat hatred? Discover how young people in Haute-Loire are engaging with Europe’s difficult past through remembrance and reflection.

On 26 April 2026, Le Puy-en-Velay hosted a ceremony marking the National Day of Remembrance for the Victims and Heroes of Deportation. Organised in collaboration with the National Office for Veterans and Victims of War of Haute-Loire, the Memorial Site and the Departmental Archives of Haute-Loire, the initiative highlighted the importance of transmitting memory to younger generations through education and active participation.

As part of the 2025–2026 educational programme, students from three schools across the region engaged with the history of deportation through creative and reflective projects. Their work included videos, life-story research and presentations inspired by visits to memorial and historical sites, including a study trip to Munich and the Dachau concentration camp.

The ceremony concluded with a reading of Martin Niemöller’s “First They Came…”, reaffirming the importance of remembrance, vigilance and civic responsibility in today’s Europe.