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Gulag Museum at Perm-36
11 Popova Street
Suite 312, 3rd Fl.
Perm 614990
Russia
Tel: 7-3422-36-36-62
Fax: 7-3422-36-30-66
Russian Sites of Conscience Network
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Dialogues for Democracy
The Challenge
Russia is in transition from a communist, totalitarian rule to a democracy. Although the bare bones of democracy are visible - there are courts, a parliamentary system, and free elections, for example - the mentality of enslavement and fear still informs the populace. The Gulag Museum is dismayed that there is no citizen control of the instruments of democracy, no tradition of voluntary, private watchdog groups. The Museum wants to challenge this mentality and educate a new generation of Russians to cherish and participate in democracy by building civil society.
The Dialogues for Democracy Questions
- Whose fault is it that between 1917 and 1991, a majority of our country became victims of government abuse? Why did our society allow this?
- Is it possible that Russia could return to a repressive form of government?
- What institutions or activities are fundamental to a democracy? Which does Russia have, and what are the results? Which does it lack, and what are the consequences?
- Who is responsible for safeguarding democracy? What steps can I take to take responsibility as an individual?
The Program
The Gulag Museum inspires visitors to explore these questions in several ways. It begins with an exhibit of Soviet propaganda materials, to demonstrate how the government brainwashed people. Then, with a film, we reveal what was really happening, the virtual enslavement of millions of citizens in the network of gulags to provide fuel for the industrialization of the Soviet Union and the repressive atmosphere which stifled free thought and action and incited deep fear and suspicion for generations. As most Russians do not yet understand it, the program will also clarify the difference between democracy and communism. It also distributes Power and People in Russia, a cartoon pamphlet which offers a brief history of Russia from the 10th century onward. Using this history as a starting point, trained dialogue facilitators will engage visitors in the central questions throughout the program.
Impact
The Gulag Museum hopes to foster an engaged, educated citizenry. It seeks to fight historical amnesia to be sure that voters do not allow power to be consolidated in a totalitarian regime again.