Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education

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IMPACT

experts in

textbook

analysis

IMPACT-SE's History

Since 1998, IMPACT-SE has engaged in the research of school textbooks, teacher's guides and curricula used in the Palestinian Authority, Israel, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Iran. It has published a dozen reports, which have been used by members of the US Congress, the EU Parliament and the Israeli Knesset, to demand changes in the curricula and textbooks of Middle East countries, and to condition funds' allocation accordingly. IMPACT-SE's reports have also been extensively used by the media.

Below are some examples of the changes achieved as a result of IMPACT-SE's findings:

IMPACT-SE's report on Iranian school textbooks and teacher's guides was presented in major cities in Europe between January-February 2007. Presentations were given in the European Parliament, the British House of Commons and various political and media centers in Brussels, Vienna, Paris, and London. Following these presentations, IMPACT-SE's report received widespread media coverage worldwide in more than 7 languages, including French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, and Persian in the Iranian media. Articles were published in: The Sun, Reuters, Wall Street Journal, Washington Times, Frontpage Magazine, Die Welt, Der Standard, El Mundo, European Weekly, Iran-Va-Jahan, Daily Times Pakistan, and many more. Click here for a partial list of articles on IMPACT-SE's report on Iranian school textbooks.

IMPACT-SE's testimonies on "The Role of Textbooks in the Middle East Conflict," which were presented at a European Parliament conference in March 2006, were placed on the official site of the European Parliament. IMPACT-SE was asked to turn into a concrete proposal its suggestion that the European Parliament award an annual prize for the best school textbooks promoting tolerance and respect of the "Other."

IMPACT-SE's report update on "Jews, Israel and Peace in the Palestinian Authority Textbooks: The New Textbooks for Grade 5 and 10" (June 2005) had such a media impact that the Belgium government, which funded the production of one of the books--presenting the forged "Protocols of Zion" as a genuine resolution of the first Zionist Congress--demanded and obtained from the Palestinian Authority the deletion of this passage.

The joint IMPACT-SE-American Jewish Congress report, "The West, Christians and Jews in Saudi Arabian School Books," published in January 2003, served as a basis for a "Sense of the Congress Resolution," by the US Congress, on the necessary reform of the Saudi education curriculum.

IMPACT-SE's report on "Jews, Israel and Peace in Palestinian School Textbooks: 2000-2001"--on the first textbooks produced by the Palestinian Authority--brought about the adoption by the European Parliament of Amendment 177 to the EU budget regarding its plan of action in the Middle East. It stipulated that "these appropriations may not be used to support any actions, projects or programs promoting principles or views which are incompatible with the fundamental values of the EU; rather, they may be used only for projects supporting peace, understanding, reconciliation and the breaking down of hatred."

IMPACT-SE's first report on the "Palestinian Authority School Textbooks," published in September 1998, was instrumental in including the field of education in the mandate of the Tripartite Committee against Incitement, set up by the Wye Accord.