Opening Remarks by Ms. Flavia Pansieri, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights at the Panel on history teaching and memorialization processes.

Geneva, 9 September 2014

Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I am delighted to open this panel on history teaching and memorialization processes. I note the participation of two Special Rapporteurs who, I am certain, will contribute a wealth of reflection and information to your discussions.

A sense of shared history is a precious, and vital, part of belonging to a community. But narratives of the past can also be distorted and employed as propaganda, creating the illusion that conflict is the natural state between specific groups, and thus laying the ground for repeated conflict.

Can societies reach a shared memory of a troubled past, and if so how? This is a very timely question, as we commemorate the onset of the terrible war that tore apart so much of the world one hundred years ago. The importance of historical narratives as vehicles for collective identity and context were very evident in the events that led to that war, as they have been in so many other conflicts that preceded and succeeded it.

The ways in which we view, interpret – and sometimes distort – the past guides our understanding of the present, shaping our relationships within and to other communities, and hence impacts our future. It may lead to the ability to manage disagreements with harmony and respect – or to long, bitter and bloody conflict.

The urge for what is termed “revenge” for painful events from the (sometimes very distant) past can be a very powerful drive. Often, it is accompanied by denial of the fact that other groups have a very different narrative regarding those same events – if not a denial of facts altogether. Certain groups or events are written out of history textbooks – excluded from official memory.  Specific communities are portrayed negatively, so that children grow up with a slanted vision that pits one people against another, inciting discrimination, hate and persecution.

Conversely, if space is provided for different communities to present their perspectives on history – with a respectful and inclusive approach to their identity, cultural heritage and experiences – it is possible to foster mutual understanding between people and communities, and to develop a sense of a common humanity.

In 2013 and 2014, the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights has issued two important reports on history and memory in divided and post-conflict societies. In them she has stressed the ways in which methods of teaching history, and practises involving memorials and commemorations, can open societies to the existence of a variety of narratives regarding the past.

The Special Representative on truth, justice, reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence has also noted in recent reports that the objective of reconciliation is a long-term effort, which requires shifts in deeply-held attitudes and opinions – many of them shaped by historical narratives.

Most – and perhaps all – societies face challenges regarding the ways in which they discuss, teach and manage their history. This is particularly the case in countries that have suffered conflict,  civil wars or authoritarian regimes; post-colonial societies; societies that have experienced slavery; and those challenged by divisions based on ethnic, national or linguistic background, or on religion, belief or political ideology.

I strongly believe that the churning cycle of massive human rights violations, impunity and conflict can only be stopped when efforts are made to achieve justice and remedy, via the pursuit of the truth and respect for the human rights of all. Part of the process of reconciliation must clearly be the need to weave a new and inclusive narrative of history, via history teaching and memorialization processes.

Sincere and heartfelt official apologies that acknowledge responsibility for human rights violations can play a vital role in acknowledging victims as rights-holders, granting them recognition and respect within the community. Thoughtfully designed commemorations and memorials that take a multi-perspective approach to the past can also offer recognition to different groups affected by human rights violations, giving them spaces in which they can articulate their experiences and perceptions.

Memorial practices and history curricula should stimulate and promote civic engagement, critical thinking and discussion. They should help to develop not only our understanding of the past, but also of contemporary challenges, such as discrimination and violence. For instance, I am thinking here of colonization; in many former colonising States, full acknowledgment of the extent of atrocities committed in the past could lead to greater recognition of their contemporary legacy, thus improving dialogue and understanding. 

It is not always simple to achieve a multi-perspective approach to the past. But even when it is too soon or too painful to reach a shared narrative of what has happened we can at least aim at the understanding that diverging views exist about why and how the events occurred..  The challenge is to distinguish manipulations of history for political ends from the legitimate continuous reinterpretation of the past.

History ceaselessly informs the present. And it is my hope that our discussions here can assist in identifying concrete practices that question stereotyped judgments encoded in existing historical narratives, and develop critical thinking and mutual understanding.

I look forward to your contributions.
Thank you