PROGR AM M E OF THE MEETING Holocaust education and intercultural understanding in South-East Europe: renewing the Ex-Yugoslav Pavilion in Auschwitz- Birkenau Belgrade, Serbia. 4 June 2012 A meeting organized within the initiative
B a c k g r o und After World War Two, the Polish Government decided to preserve three sites within the Concentration Camp Auschwitz (Auschwitz I, Auschwitz II Birkenau, Auschwitz III Monovitse), as a memorial place of one of the darkest period in the history of Humanity. Auschwitz Birkenau was placed on the World Heritage List in 1979 by UNESCO. The Auschwitz Birkenau State Museum was officially established by a government decree issued on July 2, 1947 and became one of the central historical memorials in Europe. Since 1960, the Museum has housed national exhibits, opened on the initiative of former inmates from different countries. At the time of former Yugoslavia, the Museum of Revolution of the People of Yugoslavia (now Museum of History of Yugoslavia) set up an exhibition in the space within the memorial, located in Pavilion 17. The Austrian national exhibit was situated in the same pavilion (ground floor). After the dismantling of Yugoslavia, the Yugoslav exhibit space was closed in 2009. The Ministry of Culture, Media and Information Society of Serbia convened on 29 June 2011 a first meeting with all former Yugoslav Republics on the status of the former Yugoslavia exhibition space at the State Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau. Participants confirmed the willingness of all former Yugoslav Republics not to divide the exhibit space of the Pavilion 17 and to prepare a joint permanent exhibition, while establishing a regional Working Group. This was re-confirmed on the level of ambassadors of former Yugoslav Republics, including Croatia and Slovenia, which met at the State Museum in Poland in October 2011. C u l t u r e : a b r i d g e t o d e v e l o p m e n t This meeting, organized within the framework of the Serbian presidency of the Council of ministers of culture of SEE, is placed under the auspices of UNESCO s global initiative Culture: a bridge to development. This framework initiative has been included in the biennial Programme and Budget for 2012-2013 of UNESCO (36 C/5), as approved by the General Conference of UNESCO at its 36th session (October-November 2011). The initiative aims at better promoting cultural heritage in all its forms as a powerful and unique tool for sustainable social, economic and human development, job-creation opportunities social cohesion, Serbia. 4 June 2012 (page 2)
education and mutual understanding, thus bringing forth new opportunities for international cooperation. Building on the cohesive power of cultural heritage in all its forms and dimensions (tangible and intangible, movable and museums, documentary heritage), the initiative aims at contributing to the enhancement of creativity, dialogue and cultural exchanges, develop innovative and creative approaches to the safeguarding and promotion of heritage and culture-sensitive development projects through the support to the rehabilitation, capacity building, and transformation of key leading cultural institutions. P r o m o t i n g H o l o c a u s t E d u c a t i o n UN Member States are encouraged to develop educational programmes to transmit the memory of the Holocaust to future generations so as to prevent genocide from occurring again. UNESCO recognizes that teaching the lessons of the Holocaust is fundamental to establishing respect for human rights, basic freedoms and the values of tolerance and mutual respect. This component of the project would serve to promote and implement Resolution 61 ( Holocaust remembrance ) adopted by the UNESCO General Conference at its 34th session (2007). In this context, the Organization promotes education on the Holocaust globally through various educational projects, especially as it can contribute to the prevention of genocide and mass atrocities and to the promotion of human rights. UNESCO, within its overall mission to promote Holocaust education, as well as the role of museums as tools for intercultural understanding, research and dialogue, is therefore granting its patronage to this meeting. O b j e c t i v e s This meeting is organized to prepare and discuss the renovation and transformation of the (ex Yugoslav) pavilion nr. 17, situated within the State Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland, and to the setting up of a permanent exhibit for Ex-Yugoslav countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) on the Holocaust. An international steering committee is being established for this purpose. This meeting will serve to establish an international steering committee, discuss work plan and strategy, agree on major steps (including the funding for the technical study for the renovation of the Pavilion in 2012) and plan future activities for 2012-2013 (renovation of the pavilion, preparation of concept design and setting up of the permanent exhibit). Serbia. 4 June 2012 (page 3)
The overall objective is to promote Holocaust education, as well as the role of World heritage memory sites, documentary heritage and museums as tools for intercultural understanding, education, research and dialogue. This renovated pavilion could also serve to influence and inspire similar initiatives in South Eastern Europe and beyond. The renovation of the pavilion and the production of a new permanent exhibit will help to produce innovative narratives, interpretations and museographical displays on the Holocaust, using the opportunities offered by a unique World heritage memorial and transforming it into a civic and educational forum for learning and exchange, with a possible educational resource centre in addition to the exhibition, I s s u e s a n d c h a l l e n g e s t o b e d i s c u s s e d Steering Committee: A steering committee, comprising representatives of all participating countries (Ministry representative/holocaust scientific institution representative), as well as representatives of internationally recognized institutions and museums in the field of the Holocaust, needs to be established, in order to monitor the proper implementation of the project. The following international institutions are invited to be part of the Steering Committee: Holocaust Memorial Museum (USA), Mémorial de la Shoah (France), Topography of Terror Foundation (Germany), with the participation of Austria (National Fund for Victims of National Socialism), and the State Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau (Poland). The meeting will serve to define tasks of this Committee, according to a future work plan. Renovation of the Pavilion: The decision of a joint exhibit implies the conduct of a preparatory study of the future renovated exhibit space in accordance with the strict regulation of the State Museum Auschwitz Birkenau. All remodelling and reconstructions of the Museum complex lie within the authority of the Museum Preservation Department, which insists on the preservation of authenticity of the complex. The condition of the Pavilion 17 indicates necessary renovations, including works on the improvement of the construction itself as well as of installations. For the fact that the same pavilion (ground floor) is used by Austria, the reconstruction activity has to be coordinated with Austrian officials as well as with the State Museum Auschwitz Birkenau. The amount for the funding of the technical project for the renovation is estimated Serbia. 4 June 2012 (page 4)
by the State Museum Auschwitz - Birkenau at 50.000 euro. Funding for the restoration of the pavilion will need to be discussed in a second phase with relevant partners and funding institutions. Concept design of the permanent exhibit space: The design of the future permanent exhibit needs to be based on an agreed museographical concept and "storyline", outlining main thematic and technical objectives and priorities: new configuration of the pavilion, set design and exhibit plan program; use of exhibit spaces; presentation of supporting collections, texts, media and materials, educational resources and spaces. The new joint exhibition also needs to meet the standards of the State Museum Auschwitz Birkenau applied for National Pavilions (appendix 1). P a r t i c i p a n t s Participating countries are: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. International institutions participating are: UNESCO, Holocaust Memorial Museum (USA), Mémorial de la Shoah (France), Topography of Terror (Germany). Are also invited representatives from the State Museum of Auschwitz-Birkenau (Poland), as well as from Austria (National Fund for Victims of National Socialism), who is playing a central role in the new design of the Austrian national exhibition on the ground floor of Pavilion 17, the renovation work planned on the building housing the exhibition. Serbia. 4 June 2012 (page 5)
L o g i s t i c a l i n f o r m a t i o n Accommodation The hotel chosen for participants is Palace Hotel. Transportation from the airport to the hotel and back will be arranged by the organisers. Address: Topličin Venac 23, 11000 Belgrade Tel. +381 11 218 55 85; +381 11 263 72 22 Fax +381 11 218 44 58 Website: http://www.palacehotel.rs/lokacija_e.php Board Lunch will be offered to all participants. Dinners will be covered for 2 experts from the invited countries and international experts. Venue of the meeting Museum of Yugoslav History (Muzej istorije Jugoslavije, formerly known as "Museum May 25th" and "Museum of the Revolution"), founded in 1996 as a successor to two previous institutions, the Tito Memorial Centre and the Museum of the Revolution of Yugoslav Nations and Ethnic Minorities Address: Museum of Yugoslav History Botićeva 6, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia tel. +381 (11 367 14 85 fax +381 11 266 01 70 email: info@mij.rs Website: http://www.mij.rs Serbia. 4 June 2012 (page 6)
C o n t a c t s Ms Asja Draca Muntean, Senior Advisor Ministry of Culture, Information and Information Society of the Republic of Serbia Tel. + 381 11 33 98 908 Fax + 381 11 33 98 936 Email: asja.draca@kultura.gov.rs Mrs Ana Ponjavic, Event Coordinator Ministry of Culture, Information and Information Society of the Republic of Serbia Tel. + 381 11 33 98 025 Email: ana.ponjavic@kultura.gov.rs Mr Anthony Krause, Culture Section, Head of Culture Unit UNESCO Venice Office Tel. + 39 41 260 15 58 Fax + 39 41 528 99 95 Email: a.krause@unesco.org Mr Karel Fracapane UNESCO Section of Education for Peace and Human Rights Tel. +33 1 45 68 11 60 Fax +33 1 45 68 56 26 Email: k.fracapane@unesco.org Serbia. 4 June 2012 (page 7)
PROVISIONAL AGENDA OF THE MEETING S u n d a y 3 J u n e 2 0 1 2 Arrival of participants, transfer to Hotel Palace (Location: Toplicin venac 23) 19h45 20h00 Departure from Hotel Palace to Restaurant Welcoming dinner Location: Restaurant Supermarket Concept Store Visnjiceva 10 (corner of Strahinjica Bana Street) M o n d a y 4 J u n e 2 0 1 2 8h45 Departure from the Palace Hotel Venue of the meeting: Museum of Yugoslav History (Botićeva 6) 9h00-9h30 O p e n i n g Snezana Stojanovic Plavsic, State Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Information and Information Society, Republic of Serbia Ambassador Sladjana Prica, Assistant Minister for Multilateral Affairs and Special Envoy for Holocaust issues, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Serbia Anthony Krause, Chief Culture Unit, UNESCO Venice Office 9h30-12h30 S e s s i o n 1 : a g e n e r a l a p p r a i s a l (Session introduced and chaired by Asja Draca Muntean, Ministry of Culture, Information and Information Society of Serbia) Serbia. 4 June 2012 (page 8)
9h30-9h45 Introductory remarks: a state of the art, by Asja Draca Muntean, Senior Advisor, Ministry of Culture, Information and Information Society of Serbia 9h45-11h00 Remarks by representatives: Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Slovenia, and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 11h00-11h15 Coffee break 11h15-11h45 Remarks by Hannah M. Lessing, Secretary-General, National Fund for Victims of National Socialism, Austria Piotr M. A. Cywiński, Director, State Museum of Auschwitz-Birkenau 11h45-12h00 Establishing an international steering committee by Anthony Krause, UNESCO Venice Office 12h00-13h00 Remarks by Radu Ioanid, Holocaust Memorial Museum (USA) Olivier Lalieu, Mémorial de la Shoah (France) Thomas Lutz, Topographie des Terrors (Germany) 13h00-14h00 Buffet lunch 14h00-18h00 S e s s i o n 2 : A d o p t i n g a p l a n o f a c t i v i t i e s ( Session introduced and chaired by Anthony Krause, UNESCO Venice Office) Serbia. 4 June 2012 (page 9)
14h00-14h30 Preparatory research for the future exhibition space: presentation by the Task Force of the Ministry of Culture, Information and Information Society of the Republic of Serbia: Olga Manojlovic Pintar, Institute for Recent History of Serbia and Milan Koljanin, Institute for Contemporary History (preparatory research for the future exhibition) Sladjana Bojkovic, Deputy director of the Historical Museum of Serbia (preparation of the database) 14h30-16h00 Open discussion on tasks of International Steering Committee and adoption of work plan of activities 2012-2013: rehabilitation of the Pavilion (technical study, redesign, etc), concept design for exhibit space, funding mobilization strategy, partnerships, calendar meetings of steering committee, etc. 16h00-16h15 Coffee break 16h00-17h30 Discussion on work plan of activities 2012-2013 continued 17h30-18h00 Conclusions, future steps. 18h00-18h20 Screening of audiovisual documentary (oral testimonies) 19h00 Dinner for participants - Venue: Restaurant MP Club (Tolstojeva 2) T u e s d a y 5 J u n e 2 0 1 2 Departure of participants Serbia. 4 June 2012 (page 10)