Hosted by the European Sites of Conscience Network
March 16–18, 2021
2:00PM-5:00PM (CET)

 

Overview

The COVID 19 pandemic has affected and changed virtually every aspect of our lives. However, not everyone is experiencing the pandemic equally. While all communities are facing some degree of crisis, the most vulnerable and marginalized groups are being disproportionately affected by the virus and the resulting socio-economic downturn. Studies show that the virus has affected people of color, elders and members of lower socioeconomic groups at a much higher rate than others.

From wealth gaps, employment and housing to access to education and health services, incarceration and migration policies, the COVID 19 pandemic has shed light onto entrenched discrimination and injustice that exist in our societies.

The “Sites of Conscience: Trusted Spaces for Support and Community Transformation” meeting will serve as a global platform to reflect on the broader socio-economic impacts of the COVID 19 pandemic in our communities and how these impacts have urged us to examine our work as trusted spaces for community support and social cohesion.

The three-day virtual meeting aims to lay the foundation for a critical examination of the root causes of the social inequalities that have become evident in the light of the COVID 19 crisis. It aims to spark a deeper understanding of the systemic inequalities that exist in our societies and how these relate to our history, and in particular to colonialism and other forms of domination.

Whether a museum, a historic site or a human rights organization, as Sites of Conscience we are entrusted with the responsibility to support our communities in times of crisis and provide opportunities for critical reflection and open discussion on today’s most pressing social issues with the goal of taking action, collectively and individually, to ensure a more equitable and peaceful future.

To register click here.

AGENDA

Spanish Agenda

French Agenda

Arabic Agenda

Tuesday, March 16

2:00 – 2:15 PM Welcome and Introduction

Silvia Fernandez, Global Networks Program Director, International Coalition of Sites of Conscience (ICSC)
Justine Di Mayo, Program Manager Europe and MENA, International Coalition of Sites of Conscience (ICSC)

2:15 – 2:55 PM Keynote Address by Ngaire Blankenberg, ‘Museum Doctor’: Cultural Consultant, Content Designer, Writer.

Moderator: Justine Di Mayo, International Coalition of Sites of Conscience (ICSC)

2:55 – 4:10 PM PANEL: Sites of Conscience as Trusted Spaces for Support and Community Transformation
Moderator: Mirian Bllaci, Cultural Heritage without Borders – Albania, Albania

              • Red Star Line Museum (Belgium)
              • Old Salem Museum and Gardens (US)
              • Institute for Social Development – ISD (Sri Lanka)
              • Museo Casa de la Memoria de Medellin (Colombia)
              • Q&A

4:10 – 4:20 PM Coffee Break

4:20 – 4:50 PM GROUP DISCUSSION: Learning Together: Adapting our Work in a COVID-19 World

Moderator: Justine Di Mayo, International Coalition of Sites of Conscience (ICSC)

              • Group I: How to develop interactive digital exhibits/tours
                The COVID 19 pandemic has prompted museums and historic sites to develop creative approaches to respond to communities’ needs by converting physical exhibitions into digital ones. This group will discuss how to develop successful digital exhibitions and tours.
                Facilitator: Gulag.cz, Czech Republic
              • Group II: How to use technology while maintaining safety, security and privacy
                While digital tools and platforms bring new opportunities to our work, they also raise serious questions about data security and individuals’ safety and privacy. This group will discuss how to prevent or mitigate these risks.
                Facilitator: Memorial International, Russia
              • Group III: How to engage our constituencies in dialogue and critical discussions in a pandemic context
                The global pandemic has dramatically limited in-person social interactions and the capacity of physical sites to engage visitors in dialogue. This group will discuss how to create innovative, inclusive spaces for exchange without excluding those who are already marginalized.
                Facilitator: War Childhood Museum, Bosnia i Herzegovina
              • 4:50-5:00PM Plenary

Wednesday, March 17

2:00-2:10 PM Welcome

Justine Di Mayo, Program Manager Europe/Eastern Europe and MENA, International Coalition of Sites of Conscience (ICSC)

2:10-5:00 PM WORKSHOP: Tools for sharing power: Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion

Countering power means rethinking how our institutions share their power with others. This session will look at four lenses for understanding how we make space for those who have been excluded.
Facilitator: Braden Paynter, Director of Methodology and Practice, International Coalition of Sites of Conscience

Thursday, March 18 (European Sites of Conscience Members only)

2:30-5:00 PM Welcome and Introduction

Justine Di Mayo, Program Manager Europe and MENA, ICSC
Setting up the tone for Strategic Planning 2021-2024
Facilitated by Elena Monicelli – Monte Sole, Italy

Focus Groups – Identifying a Joint Vision
Articulate our aspirations for the positive change we envision in our communities and our region through our work.

Guiding questions:

                • What is the change that you would like your organization to foster?
                • How will you know when that change happens: What will look different? Whose lives will be different?

Plenary Discussion

Coffee Break-Out Rooms

Group Discussion – Articulating the Network’s Strength and Opportunities
What are our internal strengths and external opportunities that will help to advance our vision?

              • Strengths: What does the organization and the network do well, along with its key assets, resources, capabilities, and accomplishments?
              • Opportunities: the circumstances that we could leverage for creating change?
                Closing remarks

Facilitators:

              • Justine Di Mayo, Program Manager Europe and MENA, ICSC
              • Gegê Joseph, Senior Program Manager Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, ICSC
              • Silvia Fernandez, Global Networks Program Director, International Coalition of Sites of Conscience, ICSC