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EN
ES
FR
Réf.
42861
Type
conference item
Titre
The Museum of War: Accelerating Social Reconciliation in Post-Conflict States
Langues
English
Auteurs
Boisvenue, Valérie
Lieu de publication
Charenton-le-Pont
Pays de publication
France
Maison d'édition
ICOMOS
Date
2018
Titre de conférence
ICOMOS 19th General Assembly and Scientific Symposium "Heritage and Democracy"
Lieu de conférence
New Delhi, India
Date de conférence
13-14th December 2017
Mots-clés
peace / reconciliation / transmission / education / cultural heritage / economic aspects / social aspects / interpretation / musealization / museums / conflicts / post-war situation
Pays mentionnés
Canada / Rwanda
Résumé en anglais
When a State emerges from a political, social or armed conflict, the process of re-establishingconfidence between two parties can become long and arduous. Different versions of the same conflict
may be taught, according to the group of individuals, ethnicity, membership of the establishment orindeed the government’s agenda. The priorities of a museum institution are study, transmission of
heritage and education. They are generally intended to proceed via selection and presentation of tangibleand intangible evidence of humans and their environment. In the case of nations in post-conflict
situations, to these roles may be added that of agent of reconciliation. This symposium provides theopportunity to reflect how a heritage site can be used as a tool for reconstruction of a country and what it
might bring to a state emerging from a conflict situation. In the context of this reflection, we propose toanalyse two institutions – the War Museum of Canada in Ottawa and the Genocide Memorial Centre at
Kigali in Ruanda. The principal mandate of the Canadian War Museums is to address armedconfrontations from a pedagogic and constructive perspective. This establishment is distinguished by the
quality of its exhibitions, which emphasise human experience in conflict situations. The mandate of theRuanda Genocide Memorial, by their own account, is to welcome students and those wishing to
understand the events of 1994 through presenting witness statements and offering services for conflictvictims. These two very different institutions nonetheless set out lessons worth remembering by any
nation seeking to reinforce peace via its cultural heritage. Our presentation will therefore deal with twoaspects. Firstly we will see how mankind is best at doing everything to protect sites, whilst at the same
time, paradoxically, being the greatest threat. We will explore with the tools developed by these twoinstitutions how to become agents of reconciliation between different groups and opinions. We shall see
how to avoid the traps of assimilation and the perpetuation of those stereotypes which reinforce hatedirected at a particular group.
may be taught, according to the group of individuals, ethnicity, membership of the establishment orindeed the government’s agenda. The priorities of a museum institution are study, transmission of
heritage and education. They are generally intended to proceed via selection and presentation of tangibleand intangible evidence of humans and their environment. In the case of nations in post-conflict
situations, to these roles may be added that of agent of reconciliation. This symposium provides theopportunity to reflect how a heritage site can be used as a tool for reconstruction of a country and what it
might bring to a state emerging from a conflict situation. In the context of this reflection, we propose toanalyse two institutions – the War Museum of Canada in Ottawa and the Genocide Memorial Centre at
Kigali in Ruanda. The principal mandate of the Canadian War Museums is to address armedconfrontations from a pedagogic and constructive perspective. This establishment is distinguished by the
quality of its exhibitions, which emphasise human experience in conflict situations. The mandate of theRuanda Genocide Memorial, by their own account, is to welcome students and those wishing to
understand the events of 1994 through presenting witness statements and offering services for conflictvictims. These two very different institutions nonetheless set out lessons worth remembering by any
nation seeking to reinforce peace via its cultural heritage. Our presentation will therefore deal with twoaspects. Firstly we will see how mankind is best at doing everything to protect sites, whilst at the same
time, paradoxically, being the greatest threat. We will explore with the tools developed by these twoinstitutions how to become agents of reconciliation between different groups and opinions. We shall see
how to avoid the traps of assimilation and the perpetuation of those stereotypes which reinforce hatedirected at a particular group.
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