The October 7th 2023 attack in Israel and the hostages taken was a deeply shocking and upsetting event, and the ensuing and ongoing war and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza has also been deeply shocking and upsetting. The one-year anniversary will need to be marked with sensitivity and respect for all those who have been affected. Here is our advice to teachers.

Respect emotions
 

Show understanding for the emotions of those affected at this time, and create spaces for listening and expression of feelings and thoughts. It is essential that you maintain political impartiality and that you ensure that no one is bullied, silenced, or criticised for the way they are feeling.

Memorials
 

1. Focus on the civilians affected first and foremost, and on building empathy for their suffering. 

2. Rather than a traditional memorial, such as a formal school assembly with a minute’s silence, you could plan multiple activities across the school week and involve some students in the planning.

This could include:
a.) A moment of silence
b.) Speakers who promote justice, humanity, conflict resolution, peace, and non-violence
c.) An educational component to understand the context and ongoing impact of the war
d.) Creative expression for students to express their feelings through art, poetry or music
e.) Community involvement, particularly from local Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities to show unity around justice and peace from the three main faiths connected with the Holy Land 

3. Prepare guidelines around the use of language for these events. See our avoiding racism guides for assistance on this.

Empowerment
 

Don’t forget the importance of student empowerment. Young people need and want to do something to make the world a better place, while also remembering  those who are suffering. As a conclusion to any events on these kinds of issues, give advice as to how young people can take action to support the victims, and get involved in work for justice and peace. See our website resources page for more information.

Values
 

Remember that those connected to Palestine-Israel are experiencing pain, anger, and grief. Keep the human values of non-violence, equality for all and the rejection of hatred at the heart of all memorial events and any follow-up guidance/support for students. 

Resources

Find resources on the message of our shared humanity and an empowering, solutions-focused approach, which can help provide a suitable context for memorial activities such as these. Our short film, Rage, Revenge & Repair, can help to deliver a message of justice and peace for all, which can be found in the assembly pack on our website.

You can download this guide here in PDF format.