This project organises activities that include memory forums, training, workshops, exhibitions, conferences, and campaigns. These create a space for memory education at the community level. They open discussions about policy and heritage given the politicisation of memory of conflict that often contributes to the erasure of past solidarity and resistance against the far-right.
Our activities comprise of two approaches:
Training
Producing new research and outreach on the transnational entanglements of the collective memory and heritage of these national histories.
Providing training for teachers, via a handbook, for talking about/teaching complex histories and their narratives.
Generate a digital exhibition based on the entanglements of “themes” shared by the five target countries based on existing infrastructure.
Create five separate types of awareness and informal dialogues deliverables about collective memory and history. This will rely on data collected through the second approach, dialogue.
Dialogue
Five “community workshops” per country to reflect on the influence of memory on contemporary antisemitism, anti-Roma, Islamophobia, Russophobia, misogynism; and five internationally.
Five local permanent “memory forums” to discuss countering and responding to such narratives in relevant environment (eg. Educators, museums) and five internationally.
We expect three major target groups: young people, professionals in collective memory (curators, educators, heritage specialists,writers etc.), PVE/CVE stakeholders.
Research
The aim of our research is to map and understand the status of the memory of the far-right, which entails both the narratives and practices of memory speaking about the resistance against radical right, far-right movements in Europe and discourses stemming from radical right wing views in the countries targeted (stereotype, biases, racism, exclusion); as well as narratives and practices of memory used by radical right, conservative movements today in relation to earlier predecessors, to capitalize on their influence etc.
Workshops
Through workshops, we encourage conversation within communities about relevant histories such as the Roma resistance, Jewish Resistance, anti-fascism, Women and feminism, colonial legacies, state authoritarianism, and unrecognised victimhood. We encourage a form of ethnography and storytelling, allowing people in the community to share their stories and speak directly to younger generations.
Memory Forums
Memory Forums are meetings where we analyse the status and the best way to engage with the memory of right-wing authoritarianism in terms of policy and practice. We look into subjects such as the Spanish Civil War, Anti-fascist Resistance, Jewish Resistance, Networks of Women Solidarity and Roma Solidarity.
Practices of Memory Today
The memory today I and II gives the opportunity to present the first two researches of the SOLREM project and to host experts to share insights related to the topics. The main objective of the Memory Today I and II Workshops was to disseminate the findings from the initial two reports of the SolRem project. These reports focused on: report 1 – attitudes towards the collective memory of resistance against far-right regimes, groups, or practices and specific narratives; and report 2 – collective memory practices related to the right-wing. The workshops featured presentations on collective memories concerning far-right political movements in the project’s partner countries: Portugal, Romania, Finland, Italy, and Spain.
Memory Talks Podcast
Memory Talks is a podcast where we talk about memory and history as a way to address political, cultural, and historical narratives relevant to today’s issues. It’s the extension of the SolRem project that starts informal dialogues and encourages people to rethink the past.