Institute for Historical Justice and Reconciliation
The IHJR seeks to dispel public myths about historic legacies
in societies divided by ethnic conflict
Loading...The IHJR has taken important strides forward in developing the field of historical justice and reconciliation. The IHJR can proudly count as a key accomplishment its own transformation from being a “project” of the Salzburg Global Seminar to an independent institute in The Hague in October 2008. It is now recognized not only in The Netherlands but internationally as a center undertaking issues of historical justice and reconciliation. Our annual report of 2009, which can be downloaded here, reflects the developments of the IHJR during its first full year of independence.
The CHDR is an outcome of the IHJR Project in the Former Yugoslavia.
The IHJR works in partnership with the Salzburg Global Seminar.
Armenia-Turkey
The IHJR initiated exploratory discussions for potential joint projects in historical reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey in the spring of 2005, and continued these efforts with a number of potential partners over the subsequent years. Recent rapprochement between the governments of these two countries is providing opportunities for accelerating these efforts. Currently, the IHJR is in discussion with a number of institutions in Armenia and Turkey on projects ranging from shared narratives to joint work on shared historical sites.
Planning meeting Armenia Turkey Cultural Heritage Project Istanbul, October 8-10, 2009
On 8-10 October 2009 the IHJR convened a planning meeting in Istanbul with a high level group of participants from Armenia and Turkey. After two days of extensive debates the participants initiated the Armenia-Turkey Cultural Heritage Project, which focuses on the creation of a Registry of historic sites, the writing of shared narratives on the ancient city of Ani and the preparation of documentaries. This project is intended to provide a confidence-building initiative between Armenian and Turkish historians, cultural experts, civil society leaders and other stakeholders interested in improving cultural relations between Armenia and Turkey.
Registry of Historic Sites
The purpose of this project is to create the first joint registry of monuments and historical sites that have a shared legacy and significance with the peoples of Armenia and Turkey. Scholars and experts from both countries will cooperate on identifying, cataloguing and researching those sites deemed significant. The project will allow for further work in the writing of shared narratives but the initial and primary goal is to create the comprehensive and mutually acknowledged registry of significant sites.
Ani Historic Site Project/Shared Narrative
Joint teams of Armenian and Turkish historians will research and write shared historical narratives of the historic city to be published in Turkish, Armenian and English. The project includes an historical exhibition “Ani as a Cultural Bridge between Armenia and Turkey’’.
Joint Armenian Turkish documentary films
A joint undertaking of Turkish and Armenian filmmakers will address issues relevant to the historical clarification process and will serve as a vehicle for engaging the broader public in the issue of historical justice and reconciliation. The IHJR will work with a joint committee of filmmakers from Armenia and Turkey in producing documentaries relating to the Ani and Registry projects.
Further meetings will be convened during the course of 2010.
Osman Kavala (Chairman of the Board, Anadolu Kültür, Istanbul), Karen Mirzoyan (Permanent Representative of Armenia to the Organization of BSEC), Gagik Gyurjyan (Former Deputy Minister of Culture, President of Icomos Armenia), Marie Louise Ryback (Director of Development, IHJR), Susanna Harutyunyan (Director, Yerevan International Film Festival Golden Apricot), Stepan Grigoryan (Chairman of the Board, Analytical Center on Globalization and Regional Cooperation (ACGRC), Nurdan Arca (Director, Ajans 21 Independent Documentary Film Company), Timothy W. Ryback (Member of the Executive Committee, IHJR; Deputy Secretary General, Académie Diplomatique Internationale), Catherine Cissé van den Muijsenbergh (Executive Director, IHJR), Shirin Melikoff Sayar (Académie Diplomatique Internationale, liaison for IHJR Projects), Meltem Aslan (Anadolu Kültür), İlber Ortaylı (Director of Topkapı Museum; Professor, Galatasaray University and Bilkent University), Melek Taylan (Director of Ajans 21 Independent Documentary Film Company), Karen Nahapetyan (Union of History Educators, Faculty of International Relations, Yerevan State University).
