Remembering War for the Sake of Peace

Round table discussion Remembering War for the Sake of Peace is dedicated to the problem of our nation’s memory of the tragic events of the Great Patriotic War. Is uncovering the truth about war necessary to our nation and within our families? Participants will discuss whether the remembrance of not only heroes and victories, but also of victims, misfortunes and crimes – in all their tragic, painful and uncomfortable reality – can lead to peace.

Questions for Discussion:

• What healthy/good and what dangerous tendencies are involved in the remembrance of war? How can we support the former and protect against the latter?
• How should personal and family memories of specific people relate to society’s historical memory?
• Do people really need unpleasant memories of war? Can such memories lead to the “rebirth” of human dignity and of the nation as a whole? If so, how?

Participants:

• Sergei Lapenkov, one of the founders of the Bessmertny Polk (Immortal Regiment) civilian initiative (Moscow);
• Ivan Kurilla, Professor at European University in St. Petersburg;
• Anna Otmakhova, journalist, and author of the Most Pamjati (Bridge of Memory) Project (Perm);
• Natalia Timofeeva, Chairman of Tsentr Ustnoj Istorii (The Centre for Oral History) (Voronezh);
• Oleg Glagolev, Editor of the Stol Mediaproject (Ekaterinburg).