Vilnius, Lithuania, May 15-17, 2024 – The 2024 Annual Meeting of the Platform of European Memory and Conscience (PEMC) took place in Vilnius from May 15-17, accompanied by the significant International Conference titled “Crimes of Totalitarianism – Justice and Remembrance in the XXI Century”. The Conference was hosted in the modern setting of the National Art Gallery and co-organized by the Lithuanian member of PEMC, the Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania.
The events were strongly supported by the Office of Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė and received substantial financial backing from the Lithuanian government, highlighting the national commitment to addressing and remembering the atrocities of totalitarian regimes.
Conference “Crimes of Totalitarianism – Justice and Remembrance in the XXI Century.”
President Gitanas Nausėda, in his letter to the conference participants, emphasized the importance of international cooperation in seeking justice for the crimes of totalitarian regimes and preserving the memory of their victims. His message underscored the significance of such gatherings in promoting historical truth and justice. President Gitanas Nausėda stressed that “Lithuania supports the proposal to establish a Foundation of European Memory and Conscience and dedicate EU operational and financial support for the investigation and remembrance of crimes committed by totalitarian regimes. The completion of the memorial for the Victims of Totalitarianism in Brussels would be a most welcome step in the right direction.”
We were also pleased to have the opportunity to hear from MEP Rasa Juknevičienė, a distinguished Lithuanian politician and former Minister of Defence of Lithuania. She currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Security and Defence Subcommittee, Vice-Chair of the South Caucasus Delegation, Vice-Chair of the EPP Group, Chair of the EPP Working Group on External Policies, and Chair of the Informal Group on European Remembrance of the European Parliament. PEMC has been closely cooperating with her in the Group’s endeavours.
Dr. Dovilė Sagatienė, in her key-note speech entitled “European Court of Human Rights as Nuremberg for the Soviet Crimes in the Baltic States? depicted the parallel between the Nuremberg trials and Baltic States’ attempts to achieve justice in the European Court of Human Rights, while addressing “the bigger picture behind the Baltic historical cases at the ECtHR, asking how the individual Soviet crimes cases contributed to change in the post-WWII structure, what value this change further has for Ukraine in seeking accountability for current crimes committed by Russia, and, most importantly, to its right to exist, which has been violated by Russia still stuck in an imperialist mindset”
The first panel of the conference brought together distinguished experts to address the question: How do we judge the crimes of totalitarian systems? Does history provide us with best practices for the future? The panel included Dr. Gabija Grigaitė-Daugirdė, Vice-Minister of Justice of Lithuania; Gintas Ivanauskas, Deputy Lithuanian Prosecutor General; Oksana Poltavets from the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance; Dr. Neela Winkelman, founder of the PEMC and creator of the Justice 2.0 project; and Alexander Dabravolski from the Office of the President-elect of Belarus, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
The second panel focused on “Memory Spaces as a Way to Achieve Justice.” Experts who work daily on remembrance projects shared their insights. The panel featured Dr. Eric Patterson from the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation; Bilyana Kotsakova from the Citizens’ Initiative for Dismantling the Soviet Army Monument in Sofia; Dovilė Lauraitienė from the Memorial Complex of Tuskulėnai Peace Park; and Professor Karol Polejowski from the Institute of National Remembrance.
The conference, attended by international experts, was broadcast on Lithuanian LRT.TC and was covered by TVP WILNO
2024 Council of Members
During the 2024 Council of Members held on 16th of May the PEMC President, Marek Mutor and the Supervisory Board member, Maria Munteanu Axinte were elected for the subsequent 3 year-term for their respective functions.
The Council unanimously decided to add new members to the PEMC Board of Trustees. Lee Edwards, VOC’s Chairman Emeritus of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation and Founding Chairman of the Victims of Communism Museum, his admission to the group of Trustees took place in collective recognition of tireless efforts to memorialize all the victims of communism around the world and to educate Americans about the atrocities of communism today. Neela Winkelmann, founder and first Managing Director of the Platform of European Memory and Conscience (2011-2018). The admission of Neela Winkelmann to the group of Trustees was a natural recognition of her enormous role in the creation of PEMC, but also of her work to raise awareness about the totalitarian regimes in Europe.
The Trustees play a very important advisory role for the other bodies of the Platform.
Two new institutions have been admitted among the members of Platform: Center for Renewal of Culture (HRV) and Musée de la Résistance de Limoges (FRA)
Two institutions became member-candidates and are currently applying for the PEMC membership: The Ulma Family Museum of Poles Saving Jews in World War II (PL) and Croatian Society of Historians “Dr Rudolf Horvat”.
The Council of Members, devoted to networking and solving organisational issues and the Pan-European Memorial for Victims of Totalitarianism in Brussels project.
On 17th May a guided tour of the Tuskulėnai Peace Park and the exhibitions “Secrets of Tuskulėnai Manor”, and “Project – HOMO SOVIETICUS”. Representatives of member organizations laid flowers and lit candles during a ceremony commemorating the victims of Soviet repression in Lithuania at the Columbarium in Tuskulanei.
Following discussion and members’ input the following resolutions were adopted:
- Call on the Government of the Republic of Slovenia to re-establish Commemoration Day for the Victims of Communism
- Resolution on the European elections of 2024 – In the coming elections to the European Parliament PEMC supports the election of candidates who understand the meaning of the past for the future and are willing to deal with the legacy of totalitarianism.
- The Platform of European Memory and Conscious supports Bulgarian authorities and institutions in their ongoing efforts to remove communist propaganda monuments from public space. We congratulate our members at Citizens’ Initiative for Dismantling the Soviet Army Monument in Sofia on the progress in their work.
- PEMC calls on the global democratic community to step up its efforts to defeat the military aggression of Russia in Ukraine and to stop the atrocities, trauma and tragedy that will affect generations to come.
- Call on the Government of the Republic of Albania to Establish Mai 21st as a Commemoration Day of the Resistance against the Communist Regime.
The Council of Members has selected Vladimir Kara-Murza as the recipient of the 2024 Prize of the Platform, following a secret ballot conducted among six nominees. Detailed information will be provided in a separate statement.
Study visit to the Memorial Complex of Tuskulėnai Peace Park
It is bridging two contrasting epochs – a glorious past and the harrowing traces of crimes committed on its grounds. Tuskulėnai Manor, established in the 16th century, held a royal status and, until the mid-19th century, the magnificent Classicism-style manor house was one of Vilnius’s cultural landmarks. However, the 20th century brought a dark chapter to its history.
Between 1944 and 1947, individuals sentenced to death by the USSR tribunal, who had been tortured and murdered in the NKGB (MGB) inner prison in Vilnius, were secretly buried in mass graves at Tuskulėnai. The Soviet authorities accused the majority of these victims of treason against the homeland and imposed death sentences under Article 58 of the Penal Code of the RSFSR. During this period, 767 people were executed.
During the Platform’s Annual Meeting, a week ago, we had the honour of participating in a ceremony commemorating the victims of Soviet repression at the Columbarium in Peace Park. This extraordinary site is designed to evoke reflection and contemplation while honouring all those who were killed.
The candle lighting ceremony, attended by Platform members, saw flowers laid by Arūnas Bubnys (Lietuvos Gyventojų Genocido ir Rezistencijos tyrimo centras), Jonila Godole (Executive Board Member, IDMC-Instituti për Demokraci, Media & Kulturë), Toomas Hiio (Executive Board Member, Eesti Mälu Instituut / Estonian Institute of Historical Memory), and Eric Patterson (Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation), allowing us to pay tribute to the victims of communism in Lithuania collectively.
The event was made possible thanks to the support of the Office of the Government of Lithuania.
The event is possible thanks to the support of the Polish National Foundation.
The Platform of European Memory and Conscience (PEMC) is a non-profit international non-governmental organisation – an interest association of legal persons founded according to the Civil Code of the Czech Republic. Established on 14 October 2011 in Prague by 20 founding Members from 12 EU Member States, the Platform currently brings together 72 public and private institutions and organisations from 24 countries.