On Friday, October 3, and Saturday, October 4, human rights organizations that manage Memory Sites across the country will gather for the Fourth National Meeting of Memory Sites, «The Arts of Memory for the Right to Live in Peace.»
The event is co-organized by the Culture, Memory and Human Rights Unit of the Undersecretariat of Cultures, Arts and Heritage, and the Parque Cultural de Valparaíso – Ex Cárcel, designated a Memory Site by the State of Chile in 2019. It also has the collaboration of the Plan Cóndor Collective Project.
This fourth edition, held outside the Metropolitan Region for the first time, aims to promote and spotlight cultural productions created by human rights groups nationwide between 2015 and 2025, with a focus on dissemination and exchange, and on reflecting on and evaluating public policies designed to preserve the historical memory of human rights violations.
«In its 10 years, the Culture, Memory and Human Rights Unit has supported more than 100 human rights organizations to recover and activate memory sites and spaces across the country through artistic and cultural expressions, outreach, training cycles, and advisory support for memory-site management plans,» the agency explained.
At the Parque Cultural de Valparaíso – Ex Cárcel Memory Site, highlights include the Second Training Cycle in Cultural Management with Memory Sites, gatherings of former political prisoners, the «Enredadera de la Memoria» plaque that distinguishes Memory Sites in the Valparaíso Region, Mauricio Redolés’s 50th-anniversary concert, and many more activities—all with excellent audience reach and engagement.
At present, the participatory process to design the management plan for the Parque Cultural de Valparaíso Ex Cárcel Memory Site is being supported as part of the commitments of the Undersecretariat of Cultures and the Arts within the Second National Human Rights Plan coordinated by the Undersecretariat of Human Rights of the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights.
For Juan Villagrán, a member of the Board of the Parque Cultural de Valparaíso Association representing its Assembly of Members and president of the Collective of Former Political Prisoners of Valparaíso, «hosting this gathering is a learning opportunity for our institution, as there will undoubtedly be an exchange of experiences and reflections on what it means to be a Memory Site and the challenges that entails for its management and maintenance, without forgetting essential tasks such as memory education and programming aimed at keeping the unwavering defense of human rights present.»
For her part, Francia Jamett, national head of the Culture, Memory and Human Rights Unit, noted that this gathering has particular significance because «we are in a context of denialism and hate speech that has materialized in various attacks on memory sites that have been recovered and managed through the efforts and commitments of survivors and family members of victims of human rights violations under the civil-military dictatorship.»
«It will be a space where deep commitments to life and dignity are reflected through artistic languages across exhibitions, talks, and showcases,» added Francia Jamett.
In total, 51 activities are planned, spanning exhibitions, panel discussions, audiovisual records, documentaries, gallery shows, book presentations, and more. The schedule also features the international seminar «50 Years After Operation Condor: Lessons and Challenges for South America,» led by the Plan Cóndor collective project.
All activities are free and open to all ages. See the full program here.
El Ciudadano
