Granada is set to become a hub for collective memory with the celebration of the 1st International Symposium on Participatory Memories. The event, held at the University of Granada (UGR), will gather institutional representatives, artists, researchers, and social organizations from Colombia and Spain.
The symposium will unveil a 'Living Memory Museum,' an international exhibition showcasing over 25 innovative projects in photography, art, community archives, free radio, and expanded narratives. The gathering aims to explore and debate participatory memory public policies, culminating in the creation of a code of best practices amidst ongoing political instrumentalization of historical memory.
This initiative, driven by the UGR and the European Observatory of Memories, seeks to foster a space for reflection on collaborative memory-building, connected to territories, bodies, and emotions. Methodologies from feminist, anti-racist, and decolonial perspectives will be explored to imagine shared futures.
Featured projects include 'Puebloagua: Amphibious Universe' from the Colombian Caribbean, the digital memorial 'Project 6402+' for victims of extrajudicial executions, and 'Ruta al Exilio' (Exile Route), which introduces the memory of the anti-Franco exile to younger generations.
The 1st International Symposium on Participatory Memories aims to reclaim its power as a living, collective, and transformative practice.
The inaugural ceremony will include notable figures such as the Vice-Minister of Heritage, Memories, and Cultural Governance of Colombia, Saia Vergara; the Commissioner for the Celebration of 50 Years of Spain in Freedom, Carmina Gustrán; the Vice-Rector for University Extension at the UGR, Margarita Sánchez; the Director of the Navarre Institute of Memory, José Miguel Gastón; and the Director of the European Observatory of Memories, Jordi Guixé.
The Living Memory Museum, open to the general public on Thursday and Friday, will display artistic and documentary proposals from Colombia, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Chile, and Mexico. The exhibition will cover themes of territorial defense, violence and justice, and community memories.
The symposium will also feature participatory sessions on memory aesthetics, regulatory frameworks, a photographic creation workshop, and a closing event focusing on the memory of the Cerro de San Miguel Alto.
The organization is the result of over 18 months of collective work, with contributions from entities like the Ministry of Cultures, Arts, and Knowledge of Colombia and the Spain in Freedom program, co-financed by the European Union. The participation of 'Mafapo' (Mothers of False Positives) from Colombia is particularly noteworthy.
