A/68/296 73. Given that it may be difficult to adapt traditional textbooks to a multiperspective approach, work may need to be done to model a textbook approach that presents a range of competing narratives in a problematic way. F. History teachers 74. Teachers play a central role in the process of knowledge acquisition. Their education, skills and training determine how much innovation they introduce into the learning process and whether they manage to compensate for inadequacies with their inventiveness. At the same time, teachers can also be the final barrier that in the end betrays well-designed programmes and intentions. 75. History teaching can be set up defining the whole curriculum from beginning to end in ways that leave teachers no room to introduce additional material and subjects that would encourage pupils to engage in critical thinking. Nevertheless, teachers can, through their lectures or organized discussions in classes, problematize the controversial themes of the past. When teachers do not adhere to the required programme and opt to teach outside the curriculum, however, there is a risk of totally subjective interpretations. 76. Countries that provide teachers with a certain amount of time and freedom to create their own programmes fare better. For example, in Serbia, a 2002 law on primary and secondary education allocated 30 per cent of time for that purpose. For the approach to be successful, however, it is essential that teachers be well educated, trained through special seminars and encouraged to create the syllabus independently. 77. It is important that States respect, in accordance with article 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the rights of teachers to freedom of association, in particular freedom to join professional associations that enable them to connect, become acquainted with the work of other teachers, exchange material and organize teachers’ continued education. States should also protect teachers from attacks by members of the community in which they serve, who may consider that their teaching is not in conformity with the community’s “truths”. 78. The constant training and education of teachers is of utmost importance. Teachers should be facilitated to recognize that they inevitably see history through their own background. VI. Good practices 79. Various examples are provided below to illustrate ways of moving forward in the area of history teaching. 80. The UNESCO General and Regional Histories (dealing with such topics as the history of humanity, Africa, Latin America, civilizations of Central Asia, the Caribbean and the different aspects of Islamic culture) promote a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach that offers a pluralistic vision of history and constitutes one of the finest contributions to the dialogue between cultures and civilizations. The approach consists of what might be termed “disarming” history 20/27 13-42291