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The Bowne House, Flushing, NY, US
Built in 1661, Bowne House was dedicated as a "National
Shrine of Religious Freedom and Tolerance" in 1945. John Bowne, an
Englishman in a Dutch colony, made his courageous stand for religious
freedom in this house in 1662, permitting Quakers to meet in his home in
defiance of a ban by Governor Peter Stuyvesant. Stuyvesant later arrested
and deported Bowne to Holland. But Bowne pleaded his case and won,
returning to his home in 1664. Bowne's courageous act helped establish the
principle of religious freedom, later codified in the American Bill of
Rights.
Like many Quakers, a number of John Bowne's descendants were committed to
social issues, including the abolition of slavery and education for the
poor. Robert Bowne was a founding member of the New York Manumission
Society, while Mary Bowne Parsons, also an abolitionist, helped found The
Flushing Institute for Young Women. The mission of the Bowne House
Historical Society is the preservation and study of the house, which
includes its collections and grounds; and the creation of educational
programs related to the history of the Bowne family, including its legacy
of championing civil liberties and education and its contributions to New
York City. Bowne House, the oldest house in Queens, is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places and is a New York City Landmark. To
learn more, visit www.bownehouse.org
Levine Museum of the New South, Charlotte, NC, US
Levine Museum shares the stories of the American South from
the end of the Civil War until tomorrow. A welcoming, inclusive gathering
place, the museum has become known for presenting bold, innovative
programs and award-winning exhibits that often tackle tough issues and
spark meaningful conversations. From the end of slavery and the long
struggle of integration to the legacy of cotton farming, textile mills,
and ongoing issues of inequality, the Museum promotes learning, awareness
and understanding.
"We're passionate about the role history can play in building community,"
says Emily Zimmern, Executive Director at Levine Museum. "We believe in
sharing the history and traditions of our region and the stories of
longtime residents and newcomers, and we are committed to providing
opportunities for people to learn about and from one another. Whether it
happens in our centerpiece exhibit "Cotton Fields to Skyscraper," during a
free community day, or at one of our many programs, making connections and
having personal experiences can have a lasting impact on individuals and
the community." Visit http://www.museumofthenewsouth.org/
for more information.
Museum of African American History, Boston & Nantucket, MA, US
Along with many sites of Revolutionary War significance, the
101 miles between Boston and Nantucket, Massachusetts is an area rich with
historic sites relating to the life of the free African American community
prior to the American Civil War. The Museum of African American History
encompasses four of these sites (two in Boston and two in Nantucket) -
including a private home, meeting houses and a school - and educates
visitors about free African American society.
In Boston, visitors can learn from the Abiel Smith School, which is
distinctive for being the first building in the nation built for the sole
purpose of serving as a public school for black children. The school
contains exhibits on display that educate on various abolition-related
topics; currently, "A Gathering Place for Freedom" focuses on the
bicentennial of the African Meeting House in Boston. Next door to the
Abiel Smith School, the African Meeting House is the second of the
Museum's Boston sites. This building lay at the heart of Boston's
nineteenth century African American community. Within the brick walls of
the Meeting House, William Lloyd Garrison founded the New England
Anti-Slave Society and Frederick Douglass delivered his 1860 anti-slavery
speech. In Nantucket, a similar African Meeting House hosts additional
cultural programs and exhibit spaces. The Boston-Higginbotham House,
owned by free African Americans for almost two centuries, is the Museum's
second site on the island of Nantucket. The Black Heritage Trail, offered
both in Boston and on Nantucket, includes historic homes, schools,
churches, and stops on the Underground Railroad. The Museum's educational
programs include opportunities for both children and adults to learn from
the historic sites, and to discover parts of American history that often
fall below the radar in history education. Visit www.afroammuseum.org
for more information.
Sites of Conscience Regional Workshop Partners: Asia
Over the next few issues, Matters of Conscience will
feature new Institutional Members that participated in Sites of Conscience
regional workshops in Africa, Asia and South America.
Bangladesh National Museum, Dhaka, Bangladesh
The Bangladesh National Museum is the largest museum in
Bangladesh. It was established to conserve fragments of past and present
culture, bear witness to and interpret cultural change. The Museum
responds to the quest for cultural identity, displaying objects of
historical and cultural heritage. Inaugurated on November 17, 1983, the
Museum serves as the apex of the nation's museum organizations and is
primarily devoted to the preservation and conservation of Bangladesh's
tangible heritage. For more information, visit http://www.bangladeshmuseum.gov.bd/
Gandhi Memorial Museum, Noakhali, Bangladesh
The Gandhi Memorial Museum remembers a transformative visit
of Mahatma Gandhi to this small village. In 1946, the villages of the
Noakhali district suffered brutal rapes, killings, and arson in a
Hindu-Muslim riot. In response, Gandhi vowed to walk throughout the
villages to promote peace and tolerance of all religions. The house in
which Gandhi stayed in the village of Joyag was later donated to preserve
the memory of his campaign, and to promote the cause of peace among
different communities. The Museum carries on his legacy by preaching
peace between Hindus and Muslims to young people, and by providing social
and economic development assistance to local women and children. To learn
more, contact gandhiashram_db@yahoo.net
International Council of Museums (ICOM) Bangladesh Chapter, Dhaka,
Bangladesh
The International Council of Museums (ICOM) is the
international organization of museums and museum professionals which is
committed to the conservation, continuation and communication to society
of the world's natural and cultural heritage, present and future, tangible
and intangible.
Created in 1946, ICOM is a non-governmental organisation maintaining
formal relations with UNESCO and having a consultative status with the
United Nations' Economic and Social Council. Members participate in the
national, regional and international activities of the organisation:
workshops, publications, training, twinning programs, and the promotion of
museums. For more details, visit http://icom.museum/natcom/bangladesh.html
Museum of Courage and Resistance, Quezon City, Philippines
The Museum of Courage and Resistance (also known as The
Martial Law Museum) was founded by the Task Force Detainees of the
Philippines as part of the search for justice for the victims of the
martial law regime. It was designed to serve as a constant reminder of
all citizens' obligation to practice sensitive and courageous vigilance,
so that the atrocities and repression under martial law, in any of its
forms, could never occur again. The Museum opened to the public on
September 20, 1999, the eve of the 27th anniversary of the declaration of
martial law by the late dictator President Ferdinand E. Marcos. Visit www.tfdp.org for more
information.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose House, Calcutta, India
The Chandra Bose House was the family home of famous
anti-colonial leader Chandra Bose. The museum examines the life and
values of this famous leader in India's independence struggle and explores
the legacies - both positive and negative - of that struggle today. More
information can be found on http://www.netaji.org/
Nonviolence International South East Asia (NISEA), Bangkok,
Thailand
Nonviolence International (NISEA) was founded in 1989 with
the intent to provide assistance to individuals, organizations and
governments seeking nonviolent means to bring about social or political
change. Nonviolence International's South East Asia office was opened in
January of 1992. NISEA endeavors to strengthen the ability of human
society to use the power of nonviolence to bring about change which
reflects truth, justice and the desire for human development at the
personal, social, economic and political levels. NISEA works throughout
the region to promote nonviolent action and reduce the use of violence.
For more information on NISEA, visit http://nonviolenceinternational.net/seasia/
Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust, Ahmedabad, India
This complex was Gandhi's home until 1930, and displays a
rich collection of artifacts and documents from Gandhi's life. Gandhi
devoted much time to preaching religious tolerance in this city. In
addition to telling the story of a single leader, the site also seeks to
provide an example of a model community based on humanistic rules and
values. To learn more, visit http://www.mahatma.com/php/showNews.php?newsid=67&linkid=16
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On the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination, youth from
communities torn by increasing intolerance in Bangladesh, India, Nepal,
the Philippines, and Thailand gathered for a week-long camp exploring
non-violence and tolerance at Gandhi's