The Second Day of the International Conference “After Totalitarianism: Museum, Memory and the Belarusian Perspective”

The second day of the international conference “After Totalitarianism: Museum, Memory and the Belarusian Perspective” has come to an end.

Today, we continued exploring how museums engage with historical narratives, heritage preservation and the experiences of people who have faced state violence, exile and the loss of their homes.

The session on memory politics, war and transnational narratives featured Stefan Donth and Kristiane Janeke (Germany), Bożena Kozakevych (German-Polish Foundation “Memorial to Europe’s Forgotten Heroes”) and Paweł Kalisz (Sybir Memorial Museum, Białystok).

The next session focused on Belarusian memory, repression, identity and heritage preservation. Participants included Volha Arkhipava, Valieruya Charnamortsava and Ilia Magin.

A particularly important discussion for our team was “The Museum of Free Belarus: Remembering Unfreedom, Creating a Space for Freedom.” We shared our experience of preserving Belarusian heritage in exile and discussed with colleagues the challenges faced by museums operating under difficult political circumstances. It was also an opportunity to experience the support and solidarity of our professional community.

Migration was another key topic. The Sybir Memorial Museum presented the history of Polish citizens who found refuge in countries across Africa and Asia during the Second World War. History does not repeat itself exactly, but many of the crises we face today have historical precedents. Revisiting these stories helps us better understand the experiences of people forced to leave their homes and develop empathy for those facing similar challenges today.

In the final part of the programme, Judith Depaule (France) and Rob Sharp (University of Sussex) shared their experiences of working with museums, artistic practices and the participation of people with migration backgrounds in cultural life.

We thank all the speakers, moderators and participants for their open exchange of experiences, thought-provoking questions and professional solidarity. Special thanks to our partners for making it possible to create a space for international dialogue on memory, responsibility and the future of museums.

Photos: Museum of Free Belarus and Daria Krotova.

The event was co-financed by the Juliusz Mieroszewski Centre for Dialogue as part of the 4th Open Competition.

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