International travelling exhibition Totalitarianism in Europe

Opening of International Travelling Exhibition Totalitarianism in Europe (Prague, Faculty of Law, Charles University, February 26, 2013)

The exhibition was created as an international grant project of the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes. It presents the statistics of the victims of the gravest crimes of Fascism/Nazism and Communism of the 20th century from 12 today`s EU Member States. The exhibition is designed as a black album containing one page per country and totalitarian regime, its victims, some of the main persons responsible for the crimes and the criminal prosecution of perpetrators after the fall of the regime. The exhibition is accompanied by a screening of short documentary films on the topic of crimes of totalitarian regimes from the countries presented. The exhibition, which was prepared in collaboration of more than twenty institutions and organisations associated in the Platform of European Memory and Conscience, is addressed to the broad public. Its aim is to educate about the criminal nature of totalitarian regimes and about the link between the two major totalitarian regimes of the 20th century. The goal is to increase the awareness about this dark chapter of our common European heritage and about the necessity to defend fundamental human rights, to help achieve a better understanding among citizens of Europe and to help prevent any rise of totalitarian power in the future. The project has been kindly supported by the International Visegrad Fund and by the European Commission from the Europe for Citizens Programme.

Invitation to a panel discussion Killing at the Borders – Crime against Humanity

Hereby we are cordially inviting you to a panel discussion Killing at the Borders – Crime against Humanity organised by the Platform of European Memory and Conscience and the Všehrd Association of Czech Lawyers on Wednesday 6 March 2013 at 4 p.m. at the Faculty of Law, Charles University, nám. Curieových 7, Prague 1, room No. 101. The panelists will be Prof. Jan Kuklík, Prof. Pavel Šturma, Mr Václav Krbeček, victim of shooting at the border and Mr Miroslav Lehký, former investigator at the Office for the Documentation and Investigation of Communist Crimes. The discussion will hosted by Mr Luděk Navara, journalist for Mladá fronta DNES. English translation will be provided. The panel discussion is an accompanying event of the international travelling exhibition Totalitarianism in Europe which can be viewed in the entrance hall of the Faculty of Law until 8 March 2013.

Opening of International Travelling Exhibition Totalitarianism in Europe (Kranj, Slovenia, 17 January 2013)

Kranj, Slovenia, 17 January – 18 February 2013 – The international travelling exhibition „Totalitarianism in Europe“ was solemnly opened on 17 January 2013 in the Gorenjski Muzej in the town of Kranj, Slovenia. Dr. Andreja Valič Zver, Director of the Stury Centre for National Reconciliation, Darko Jarc, deputy Mayor of Kranj and Marjia Orgin, Director of the Gorejnski Muzej spoke at the ceremony. Before the opening, a public round table was organised with well-known Slovenian historians Dr. Igor Grdina, Dr. Tamara Griesser Pečar, Dr. Andreja Valič Zver and Jože Dežman who discussed the Slovenian expirience with totalitarian regimes. The exhibition in Kranj was visited by about 2,500 visitors, including school classes.

Opening of International Travelling Exhibition “Totalitarianism in Europe“ Bratislava, Aréna Theatre, 17 September 2012 at 4 p.m.

Prague, 11 September 2012. The Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes cordially invites to the solemn opening of the international travelling exhibition “Totalitarianism in Europe“ which will take place on 17 September 2012 at 4 p.m. at the Aréna Theatre, Viedenská cesta 10, 851 01 Bratislava, Slovakia (www.divadloarena.sk). The exhibition presents the statistics of the victims of the gravest crimes of 20th century Fascism/Nazism and Communism from 12 EU Member States. It is conceived as a black album, showing, on individual pages per country and totalitarian regime, the victims, some of the main persons responsible for the crimes and the prosecution of perpetrators after the fall of the regime. The exhibition is accompanied by a screening of short documentary films on the topic of crimes of the totalitarian regimes from different countries. The exhibition, prepared by around twenty institutions and organisations associated in the Platform of European Memory and Conscience, is addressed to the broad public: its aim is to educate about the criminal nature of the totalitarian regimes and about the interconnection of both European totalitarianisms of the 20th century. Its goal is to increase the awareness about this grim common European legacy and about the importance of upholding fundamental human rights, to promote better understanding among citizens of Europe and to help prevent any possible rise of totalitarian rule in the future. The project has been kindly supported by the International Visegrad Fund and the European Commission’s Europe for Citizens programme. Speakers at the opening of the exhibition on 17 September 2012 will be Mr Daniel Herman, Director of the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes, Mr Filip Vagač, Slovak Government Commissioner for Civic Society, Mr Göran Lindblad, President of the Platform of European Memory and Conscience and Mr Friso Roscam Abbing, Head of the Communication Department of the Fundamental Rights Agency of the European Union. The exhibition will be open to the public in Bratislava at the Aréna Theatre until 11 October 2012, one hour prior to the theatre performances.

Contact:

Dr. Neela Winkelmann, project coordinator Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes, Siwiecova 2, 130 00 Praha 3, Czech Republic tel.: +420-221 008 318 neela.winkelmannova@ustrcr.cz