W tekście podejmuję próbę ukazania znaczenia edukacji regionalnej w pielęgnowaniu pamięci przeszłości, odnosząc się do sytuacji wielokulturowego Białegostoku. Zastanawiam się nad rolą, jaką pełnią badania dotyczące pamięci przeszłości w planowaniu i realizowaniu działań edukacyjnych i wychowawczych. Zwracam uwagę na wybrane kwestie związane z pamięcią przeszłości w kontekście badań społecznych.

Significance of regional education in shaping regional identity before and in the pandemic times

The undertaken considerations concern the role of regional education in shaping the regional identity of children between 5–12 years old before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The basis of scientific analysis is the experience of children and their mothers. Regional education should lead to the development of the individual and collective identity of an individual, root a young person in his own cultural heritage and enable him to function creatively in a multicultural society. An outcome of the conducted research indicates minor impact of regional education in the range of shaping a regional identity of examined children during the period before the pandemic and its exacerbating ineffectiveness in the Times of isolation and distance learning. Mothers propound the need of action in the area of regional education in order to make children aware of their responsibility for their place of residence, the local community, the protection and multiplication of the cultural heritage of the region. The research indicates the need of consideration both: the current condition of regional education in kindergarten and school space and its actual role in the process of shaping children’s and youth’s regional identity.