#History Defines Our Future

On November 21-23, 2023, the 2nd year of the international educational conference "SLOBODNÍ ŠTUDENTI" ("Free Students") took place.

students, PhD students, teachers as well as scientific researchers. Also, from the workplace of Institute of Central European Languages and Cultures FCES CPU in Nitra, a mixed group of students and teachers took part in this stimulating and interesting event, which, among other things, is directly related to the focus of the study program Central European Area Studies.

Also, this year, the conference took place in the buildings of the Sereď Holocaust Museum, where we attended three days of lectures and workshops. We learned a lot about modern history, how to fight disinformation, how to make quality social media posts (e.g. how to make a 60 second video on TikTok with the theme of the Holocaust). In the various sections we signed up for, we learned what is behind a well-made video on social networks, and at the same time how to make a quality podcast. The program was divided into three different sections:

ARTS, JOURNALISM AND STORIES SECTION
MODERN EDUCATION SECTION
FUNDRAISING, MANAGEMENT AND MARKETING SECTION

Boglárka Kériová (2nd year of bachelor's studies, Modern Education Section): „My day at the conference was full of interesting workshops and lectures that made me think about the past and present. The first workshop I attended was "Gulag XR" focused on virtual reality. Thanks to this interactive experience, I found myself in the shoes of people who suffered in the gulags during totalitarian regimes. This was followed by a lecture entitled "The Solution to the Jewish Question in Slovakia", which focused on the situation of the Jewish community in Slovakia between 1938 and 1945. I also attended a lecture on "How to Poison Democracy". This part of the conference was devoted to disinformation campaigns led by the State Security. The overall impression of the conference "Free Students" in Sereď was positive. The organizers were able to create an event that offers a varied view of various aspects of history and the present. The experience of workshops and lectures allowed me to better understand the past."

Maximilián Bajzík (2nd year of bachelor's studies, Fundraising, Management and Marketing Section): „We stayed in Sereď for 3 days. We stayed overnight at Hotel Galanta, which was about 15 minutes from the Holocaust Museum. The first day was easier because we only had a tour of the museum and then a movie about Second World War was screened. On the second day, lectures and seminars have already begun. My section the other day focused on internet media like TikTok and Instagram – how they actually work, and we also made videos on TikTok about antisemitism. On the third day, I gave lectures on disinformation in history and in the media. On the third day, we were more likely to listen and engage in exercises. At the end of the third day, the work was presented, which was the result of our two-day effort.“

Réka Antalová (1st year of master's studies, Arts, Journalism and Stories Section): „In the Art Section – Podcast Creation section – with the help of lecturers Sandra Polovková and Marián Jaslovský, we learned a lot of interesting and useful information about creating podcasts. During the two-day workshop, we created our own podcasts that cover the stories of the 20th century. In addition to trying our hand at scriptwriting, we also had the opportunity to get an insight into the technical side of podcast creation. At the end of the conference, we presented our podcasts to other participants. During these three days, we gained a lot of new knowledge and experience that we can continue to use in the future.“ MHS1