Dear Founding members of The Platform of European Memory and Conscience

You are cordially invited to the international historical conference “History and Memory. The Soviet Past – 1953-1991”. The conference will be organized in Vilnius, Lithuania November 28-29, 2011 in the Parliament of Lithuania.

The main goal of this conference is to analyse how the Soviet regime affected countries and societies occupied by Soviet Union or belonged to Soviet system. Historians, sociologists, educators and other professionals from different counties will discuss about the crimes committed by Soviet regimes in Central and Eastern Europe  suppression of freedom movements, violation of basic human rights (the extent and ways in which human rights have been violated, how the Soviet occupation led to daily lives, from military training in schools, ending state interference in family life), destruction of normal economical and social development of countries and Soviet legacy after liberation from Soviet totalitarianism. It will be good opportunity to learn about experience of different countries under Soviet rule as well as to discus how to increase public awareness about European totalitarian past, about causes and consequences of totalitarian regimes, how to educate our younger generation in order to prevent our political systems from influence of dangerous radical ideologies. Organizers also planning one session to discus common actions and cooperation in the framework of newly established Platform of European Memory and Conscience.

We would appreciate your participation at the conference with presentation of your country experience and your ideas how to shape European policy on common history and memory. We expect to receive your presentation proposals by e-mal: komisija@lrv.lt  till October 31.

The working languages of the conference will be Lithuanian and English (with simultaneous translation).

This conference is organized in the framework of the project „History and Memory – the Soviet case” supported by European Commission from the program „European for Citizens”. The partners of this project are Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes in Czech Republic and Institute for the Investigation of Communist Crimes and the Memory of the Romanian Exile.

Sincerely,

Ronaldas Racinskas
Executive Director
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION FOR THE EVALUATION OF THE CRIMES OF THE NAZI

AND SOVIET OCCUPATION REGIMES IN LITHUANIA