International Coalition of Sites of Conscience equips museums, historic sites and communities with the skills they need to combat the historical erasure and exclusion that breeds inequality and cycles of conflict.
But we need your help — more today than yesterday and more in the year ahead than we could have ever imagined. Protect the stories that matter by making a one-time or monthly donation today.
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The International Coalition of Sites of Conscience Awarded Grant to Strengthen Museum and Heritage Sites in Ukraine With funding from the State Department’s Ukraine Cultural…
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With generous support from the Ford Foundation, the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience (ICSC) establishes a global academy that will equip human rights defenders…
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RSVP Now! For twenty-five years, the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience has helped museums, historic sites and other public spaces become dynamic centers for…
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When Linda Norris and Chris Whitehead first met at a conference several years ago, they knew they wanted to create a partnership of some kind….
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In celebrating Independence Day with hot dogs, tri-color bunting and spectacles in the night sky, we become players in a national mythology of exceptionalism. The hard edges of our past are buffed to the point of being unrecognizable. This is not unique to the United States, of course, it is a global phenomenon of revisionist stories, markers and memorials, presidential decrees and official holidays designed to turn the page on histories of horror that have never been acknowledged, much less redressed. We must ask the question — at what cost do we celebrate erasure?
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Dr. Jodi Skipper (she/her) is a Professor of Anthropology and Southern Studies at the University of Mississippi, who considers the role of historic preservation in imagining more sustainable and healthy futures for U.S. communities. In the Q&A, Dr. Skipper explains what inspired her to study anthropology, how she thinks academia can be more supportive of community work, and the fascinating research she’s recently participated in – in her own hometown.
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Our team recently developed a new resource for societies dealing with forced displacement, to help them transition from cycles of violence to peace and acceptance.
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To spark action on transitional justice in America, ICSC produced Transitional Justice in America, a six-episode podcast series that raises awareness of how these processes can help the United States correct course and foster healing.
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This recent project, Understanding Racism as a Risk Factor in Atrocity Crimes, identifies telltale patterns and signs of how racism leads to large-scale human rights abuses and genocides.
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Since the brutal invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022, it has become clear that Russian and pro-Russian forces have been committing widespread conflict-related sexual violence. Over the past year, our Global Initiative for Justice, Truth & Reconciliation team has worked with organizations on the ground in Ukraine to investigate and document these crimes.
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In June 2024, millions of citizens will have the opportunity to participate in the European Parliament election. Voting represents the most direct way of influencing the composition of the European institution and, therefore, the future of the region and its role in the most pressing global challenges – including escalating conflicts, the polarisation of our societies, the climate crisis, human rights violations, and persistent economic inequalities. In this context, ICSC-Europe has launched the #VoteWithMemory digital campaign. The initiative highlights the importance of learning from Europe’s historical past to better address current crises and avoid their escalation and repetition. Read the open letter and join the campaign.
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The International Coalition of Sites of Conscience is pleased to offer its first ever virtual dialogue training course, open to members and non-members alike. Dialogue in Difficult Times is a six-hour virtual training designed to give staff at Sites of Conscience and like-minded organizations the theoretical and practical tools they need to build dialogic conversations. The training will be held on June 4th, 5th and 6th from 2:00-4:00 PM EST each day, and will be facilitated by Stacey Garcia and Linda Norris.
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Released in April 2024, “Transforming Transitional Justice” is a podcast from ICSC’s flagship program the Global Initiative for Justice, Truth, and Reconciliation (GIJTR) that focuses on rethinking how traditional transitional justice processes after a conflict can better serve the needs of civilians affected by periods of violence and authoritarian regimes.
Each episode focuses on common issues that post-conflict communities face, from bolstering communities abilities to search for their missing, to documenting violations, to helping victims heal from conflict-related sexual violence.
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In celebration of its tenth anniversary, GIJTR hosted “Transforming Transitional Justice: Innovative Approaches for Centering Communities to Lead Post-Conflict” in Barcelona, Spain from March 18-19, 2024. The gathering brought together over 90 representatives from more than 30 countries, including GIJTR Consortium partners, local partners, survivors, policy makers, donors and civil society representatives, to reflect on GIJTR’s impact within its first ten years.
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View the recording of our latest webinar, “What Role Should Media Play in Reckoning with Contemporary and Historical Racial Justice in the U.S.?,” proudly co-hosted with the New England Law School (Boston)’s Center for International Law and Policy, and the International Human Rights Clinic and Racial Justice Policy Counsel, Promise Institute for Human Rights at UCLA School of Law.
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For over twenty years, the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience has helped museums, historic sites and other public spaces become dynamic centers for community engagement through personalized training solutions grounded in the work of thought leaders, educators and human rights advocates around the world. Supported by the time-tested methodologies of over 350 members, our interactive trainings guide your team from insight to implementation, and are designed to suit the unique experience and opportunities at your institution.
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We invite you, Sites of Conscience around the world, to call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the respect for human rights and international humanitarian law by all parties, and the provision without restriction of humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza.
Sign our statement today.
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On November 15-16, 2023, the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience (ICSC), through its Global Initiative for Justice, Truth and Reconciliation (GIJTR), convened a roundtable on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in the Hague, Netherlands. As a leader in the field of transitional justice, with extensive experience designing programs to support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and their communities, ICSC was commissioned by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) to consult with survivors, survivor advocates, civil society representatives, policymakers, government representatives and donors and generate collective recommendations to bridge the existing gaps in CRSV support services to better meet survivors’ urgent and long-term needs.
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In December 2023, ICSC’s Global Initiative for Justice, Truth and Reconciliation held a three-day workshop in Rio de Janeiro that convened nearly fifty policy makers, civil society representatives, academics and survivors working in the fields of transitional justice, peacebuilding and racial justice to develop a set a recommendations on addressing racism as a risk factor for atrocity crimes that can be used by states, international fora such as the United Nations, as well as civil society at local, national and international levels.
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On October 12, 2023, ICSC’s Global Initiative for Justice, Truth and Reconciliation launched its State of Truth in the World Report, an assessment of civil society’s access to truth through the lenses of memory, education and justice. The first report of its kind, written largely by local civil society actors with a diversity of lived experience and expertise, the publication offers holistic, survivor-centered analysis of the access to and protection of historical truths in 18 countries worldwide.
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What we are witnessing today in Gaza is a moral failure and a humanitarian disaster that will plunge the world into deeper polarization and renewed cycles of violence.
In just over six weeks more than 12,000 thousand civilians have been killed in Gaza, including 5,000 children. Thousands are severely injured, unable to receive the medical care they need, and many more remain under rubble in need of rescue. Patients, including premature babies, are dying in hospitals where basic medical care can no longer be provided because of Israel’s blockade and attacks on hospitals. And thousands of families are desperately awaiting news of loved ones who have been missing, abducted or killed.
Additionally, approximately 1200 Israelis and over 200 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed.
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Subscribe to The GIJTR Report, which highlights our Global Initiative for Justice, Truth and Reconciliation (GIJTR)’s unique, victim-centered approach to transitional justice, spotlights its life-changing programs and distributes resources and methodologies with partners around the world.
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The International Coalition of Sites of Conscience (ICSC) would like to pay tribute to our Argentinean member Museo Sitio de Memoria ESMA, located at the Former Navy School of Mechanics site (ESMA) in Buenos Aires, as it became, on September 19, 2023, the first ever World Heritage Site to be nominated for its outstanding universal value as a Site Associated with Memories of Recent Conflicts and other negative and divisive memories.
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For over two weeks, the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience has followed with the utmost attention the horror unfolding in Israel and Gaza. As a global network, many of our members have devoted decades to preserving and sharing the experiences of those whose lives have been devastated by war, repression, violations and abuses. In this context, Sites of Conscience work to defend international law and ensure accountability for crimes past and present while also offering new paths for peace and understanding.
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The rehabilitation of Maison des Esclaves represents a vital step in our universal efforts to break the historical silence that has long surrounded the transatlantic slave trade, and the political, social, cultural, and economic invisibility of its victims, including those who are still suffering from its brutal legacies today.
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An Interview with Stacey Garcia Communications Assistant Kassidy Charles recently sat down with Program Manager Stacey Garcia, who is helping facilitate ICSC’s Addressing the Silences…
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Camila Yanzaguano Bravo, Communications Associate at the Coalition, recently spoke to Thiago Haruo Santos, Researcher at the Museum, about the experience of the museum implementing the “Correcting the Record” methodology.
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Situated in “red” states and “blue” states, big cities and rural communities, Sites of Conscience and their allies are uniquely positioned to foster constructive dialogue on gun control among a wide subset of people. To support our members in this, ICSC recently hosted “Disarming America,” a webinar on how Sites of Conscience can spark productive conversations about gun control in their communities. In addition, we are pleased to share our Front Page Dialogue: Guns in America, which offers an adaptable model for engaging visitors in dialogue on the subject. Click to access both resources.
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In 2023, the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience, is dedicating its monthly Conscience Matters webinar series to parsing out exactly how memory is best served. Each session will dive into the role memory plays in an urgent, contemporary discussion in the fields of human rights and social justice – drawing on the experiences of survivors, scholars, practitioners, and, most of all, Sites of Conscience who for over twenty years have functioned as laboratories designed to find the most effective, ethical, and equitable uses of memory.
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The institutions that make up the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience (ICSC) and its Latin American and Caribbean Regional Network (RESLAC) strongly repudiate the terrorist actions that occurred last Sunday, January 8, in the city of Brasilia, when the three branches of the Brazilian state were invaded and vandalized by organized right-wing groups identified with former president Jair Bolsonaro. These actions of extreme violence, which systematically and in a coordinated maner seek to disrupt the rule of law, are the greatest threat to democracy in Brazil since its return in 1985 after 21 years of military dictatorship.
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In honor of her father Saul Ndow, who was forcibly disappeared in The Gambia in 2013, Nana-Jo Ndow founded the African Network Against Extrajudicial Killings and Enforced Disappearances (ANEKED), a youth-led civil society organization in 2018 to assist Gambians in healing old wounds and securing justice for victims and survivors. In this interview, she and Sirra Ndow, ANEKED’s Country Representative, speak with ICSC about the Site of Conscience’s mission and growth.
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In 2022, ICSC developed a one-of-a-kind methodology through a year-long initiative entitled “Correcting the Record.” The methodology – which will be published in a toolkit in February – provides a roadmap for Sites of Conscience and other allies to assess and recalibrate their repositories in order to offer more inclusive historical narratives and expand their impact building more equitable, just, and resilient societies. Communications Assistant Kassidy Charles recently talked with Silvia Fernández, ICSC’s Global Networks Program Director, to learn more about the project.
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The International Coalition of Sites of Conscience is pleased to release our 2022 Impact Report, which explores how Sites of Conscience the world over are preserving and amplifying memory, how memory is catalyzing truth-telling, and how truth-telling is leading to accountability and justice.
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Our Global Initiative for Justice, Truth, and Reconciliation (GIJTR) hosted a three-day Youth and Atrocity Prevention roundtable in early November 2022 in Bali. The event equipped seven youth activists from from Indonesia, the Balkans, Côte d’Ivoire, and the Philippines with the skills to establish grassroots and early response strategies for atrocity prevention.
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As part of the Coalition’s 2022 global initiative, Correcting the Record: Building Inclusive, Equitable, and Engaged Societies One Narrative at a Time, the Coalition hosted a two-day virtual global workshop on November 29-30, 2022.
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The International Coalition of Sites of Conscience is pleased to announce that applications for its 2023 Project Support Fund are now being accepted, with the consultation period from November 15, 2022, until January 15, 2023 and final submissions due on February 15, 2023.
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The Coalition’s Kassidy Charles recently talked with Krista McCracken, a researcher and curator at the Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, a Site of Conscience in Ontario, to learn more about the site’s commitment to Indigenous-driven, decolonized history practice.
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The Coalition’s Kassidy Charles recently sat down with Aaron Roth, the historic site manager at the Bosque Redondo Memorial at Forth Sumner, and Manuelito Wheeler, an advisor to the site, to discuss the space’s evolution and its lessons learned for other Sites of Conscience.
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We are excited to continue our internship program for 2023 in partnership with Newcastle University in which Sites of Conscience can apply to host a student from NU to intern at their site. Applications are due on October 26, 2022.
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The International Coalition of Sites of Conscience is outraged by reports that the U.S. Supreme Court appears positioned to overturn Roe v. Wade, which protects…
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Camila Yanzaguano Bravo, a Communications Associate at the Coalition, recently spoke with Gustavo Meoño Brenner, the Coordinator of Memory and Human Rights at Museo Internacional…
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Angi Williams, a Communications Associate at the Coalition, recently spoke with Suzanne Pred Bass, Executive Board Member at the Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition, located…
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In solidarity with our Ukrainian members, the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience strongly urges UNESCO to move its upcoming World Heritage Committee session –…
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Camila Yanzaguano Bravo, Asociada de Comunicaciones de la Coalición, habló recientemente con Gustavo Meoño Brenner, Coordinador de Memoria y Derechos Humanos del Museo Internacional para…
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For over two decades, James Madison’s Montpelier has been recognized as a leader among historic sites for its collaborative work between descendant communities, staff, board…
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يسرّ التّحالف الدّولي لمواقع الضّمير أن يدعوكم إلى حضورِ ندوته الشّبكيّة العالميّة الأولَى لهذا العام، تحت عنوان “تحدّي الصّمت: رسم الخرائط الرّقميّة من أجل مُحاربة…
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On the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Bangladesh, the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience stands with its founding member, the Liberation War Museum,…
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The International Coalition of Sites of Conscience will host its first global webinar of the year, “Confronting Silence: Digital Mapping to Fight Impunity,” on March…
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Every three years, the Coalition works closely with our members, staff and Board to update our strategic plan which serves to guide our programming around the world…
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Statement on the Liquidation of International Memorial March 1, 2022 The International Coalition of Sites of Conscience (ICSC) condemns, in the strongest terms possible, the…
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On February 24, 2022, Ukrainian civilians awoke to the sounds of shelling and explosions following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s order of an invasion of the…
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“The International Coalition of Sites of Conscience has made possible connections that would have been almost impossible for individual organizations to achieve on their own…There…
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“What this project has provided for me is the invaluable experience of more spaciousness in my heart and mind. This liberating effect has convinced me…
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The Migration Museums Network is a group of museums that envision an open multicultural society, where human mobility is a universal right. They believe museums…
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بيان صحفي نيويورك 1 كانون الأوّل/ ديسمبر 2021 يسرّ التّحالف الدّولي لمواقع الضّمير أن يُعلنَ عن تجريب نظامِ أربعة أيّام عمل في الأسبوع، وذلكَ…
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COMMUNIQUÉ DE PRESSE VILLE DE NEW YORK, ÉTAT DE NEW YORK 1er DÉCEMBRE 2021 La Coalition internationale des Sites de conscience a le plaisir d’annoncer…
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COMUNICADO DE PRENSA NUEVA YORK, NY 1 de diciembre de 2021 La Coalición Internacional de Sitios de Conciencia se complace en anunciar que pondrá a…
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COMMUNIQUÉ DE PRESSE VILLE DE NEW YORK, ÉTAT DE NEW YORK 1er DÉCEMBRE 2021 La Coalition internationale des Sites de conscience a le plaisir d’annoncer…
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PRESS RELEASE NEW YORK, NY June 30, 2022 After a six month pilot period, the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience is pleased to announce…
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Solidarity Statement on International Memorial November 17, 2021; Updated on November 25, 2021 and December 21, 2021 The International Coalition of Sites of Conscience stands…
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In November 2021, the Global Initiative for Justice, Truth and Reconciliation (GIJTR) and Amplifier, a nonprofit design lab that brings together artists and activists, launched…
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The Coalition is pleased to announce that four Sites of Conscience were awarded Project Support Fund grants (PSF) in 2021. Awardees will each receive grants…
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Ashley Nelson, Director of Communications at the Coalition, recently spoke with Tütengül Küçüker, Empowering CSOs Fellowship Coordinator at the Hrant Dink Foundation, a Site of…
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Ashley Nelson, Director of Communications at the Coalition, recently spoke with Amina Krvavac, Executive Director of the War Childhood Museum (WCM), a Site of Conscience…
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Ashley Nelson, Director of Communications at the Coalition, recently spoke with Derek Heidemann, Director of Collections & Research at Old Sturbridge Village, a Site of…
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It is with great sadness that we at the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience note that prominent human rights defender, Soviet dissident, and one…
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Ensuring that all histories – especially the most marginalized – are preserved and shared is a priority for Sites of Conscience around the globe. To…
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July 27-29, 2021 This workshop is open only to members of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience. To register, click here. For Agenda (English),…
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Despite acknowledging Georgia’s independence a year prior, in 1921 Russian forces overtook the country, declaring it a Soviet Socialist Republic. In subsequent decades, repression of…
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While same-sex conduct is not technically criminalized in the Dominican Republic, unlike many Caribbean countries, LGBTQI+ Dominicans routinely face violence and discrimination. In this interview,…
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The International Coalition of Sites of Conscience is thrilled to announce that Alissandra Cummins is the new Chair of our Board of Trustees. Director of…
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Créé en octobre 2017 par des réfugiés burundais vivant au Rwanda, Site of Conscience Forum for Vigilant Memory (FVM) travaille à éduquer les gens sur…
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The Justice Fleet is a mobile Site of Conscience based in St. Louis, USA, that fosters community healing around racism and identity through art, play,…
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February 4, 2021 New York, NY Statement available in Arabic, French and Spanish According to available information, Lokman Slim, a longtime Lebanese activist and Hezbollah…
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Established in October 2017 by Burundian refugees living in Rwanda, Site of Conscience Forum for Vigilant Memory (FVM) works to educate people about genocide, assist…
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In response to the shameful violence and lawlessness at the U.S. Capitol yesterday, the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience restates its unwavering commitment to…
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Throughout human history, migration has been a courageous expression of the individual’s will to overcome adversity and to live a better life. To celebrate their…
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Sites of Conscience across the globe know from experience that the slide from democracy to dictatorship can happen far more quickly than most people imagine….
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Agosto 26, 2020 La Coalición Internacional de Sitios de Conciencia (la Coalición) apoya a la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (CIDH) en la condenación de…
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Are you a New York State museum, historical society or heritage organization that wishes to engage more deeply in work related to Indigenous peoples? To…
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The International Coalition of Sites of Conscience, a global network of historic sites, museums and memory initiatives, tells TIME that the process of replacing “symbols…
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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]With over 300 members in more than 65 countries, the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience offers unprecedented access to a range of sites and…
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Between July 2014 and April 2015, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Freddie Gray and Walter Scott – all African American men – lost their lives at…
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Dear Friends, The historic system of racism in the United States lays a path of destruction through our present, claiming lives at the hands of…
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Upcoming COVID-19 Webinars For Previous Webinars, See Below Activism and Advocacy during the COVID pandemic Wednesday, June 17th at 10 am EST (New York) As…
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Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation (AIISF), a Coalition member in San Francisco, California, is no stranger to the subjects of isolation and resilience. The “Ellis…
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COVID-19 is impacting all aspects of our world, including the fields of culture and heritage, in countless ways. Indeed, from art galleries in France to…
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To best support members during this time, we have created the following Virtual Public Square as we know that even while we must be physically…
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On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. As of September 30, 2020, there have been over 33 million confirmed cases…
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Join us for our next Conscience Matters Webinar April 9, 2020 8:00 AM New York / 9:00 AM Rio de Janeiro / 2:00 pm Cape…
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With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing, it is all too easy to feel a sense of worry and isolation. At this time, we at the Coalition…
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Global Initiative for Justice, Truth and Reconciliation The Global Initiative for Justice, Truth and Reconciliation (GIJTR) – a flagship program of the Coalition – is…
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Global Initiative for Justice, Truth and Reconciliation In countries transitioning from conflict or authoritarian rule, it is crucial that all members of society – especially women and minorities…
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February Weddings at Former Plantations? Determining Event and Visitor Behavior Policies at Historical Sites This webinar will be held on June 5th at 10 am…
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El 1 de febrero de 2020, la Coalición Internacional de Sitios de Conciencia suspendió la membresía del Centro Nacional de Memoria Histórica en Bogotá, Colombia,…
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El 1 de febrero de 2020, la Coalición Internacional de Sitios de Conciencia suspendió la membresía del Centro Nacional de Memoria Histórica en Bogotá, Colombia,…
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On February 1, 2020, the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience suspended the membership of the National Center for Historical Memory in Bogotá, Colombia from…
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The International Coalition of Sites of Conscience is fully supportive of the ruling by the International Court of Justice at The Hague that Myanmar must…
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Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women. – Maya Angelou In…
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