Images from GIJTR’s 2017 bodymapping workshop and exhibition in Colombo, Sri Lanka. “If whole communities did this,” one participant said, “reconciliation would come.”
The 5th Pillar of Transitional Justice: GIJTR’s Impact Through Memorialization and Art-Based Programming
GIJTR’s trauma-informed approach lends itself particularly well to informal transitional justice mechanisms that serve the needs of survivors and transform the society at large by sharing the experiences of survivors with communities as a starting point for building a rights-based future. Buoyed by the 25 years of experience of its founding partner, the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience, GIJTR is well-equipped to design and implement projects that use the power of memory to explore root causes of conflict and to foster positive change post-conflict. Many of these memory initiatives are art-based, which is known to help survivors shape perceptions of traumatic pasts and imagine a better future. In addition to therapeutic advantages, memorialization and art initiatives have practical advantages in post-conflict settings as they require minimal resources and can engage groups from diverse communities, perspectives and backgrounds. While memorialization is considered a “soft” tool when applied in transitional justice, it has the potential
to prompt deep questions around root causes of trauma as well as accountability and justice. As an accessible methodology, art-based memorialization can be useful in many post-conflict settings, including insecure environments where civil society actors are surveilled and harassed. Memorialization initiatives more broadly allow communities from both sides of a conflict, for example, to come together in a non- threatening space to engage in dialogue around issues related to truth, justice and reconciliation. In some settings, memorialization can be considered a form of symbolic reparation in its acknowledgement of the stories of victims. Using memorialization as a pillar of transitional justice typically begins by using art and culture to recall and confront the tragedy of past violence. In areas emerging from conflict and years of repression or authoritarianism, GIJTR’s art-based memorialization projects have proven incredibly effective at fostering empathy within divided communities and promoting justice, truth-telling and remembrance. This has resulted in a range of outputs and impacts across several contexts, including:
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GIJTR’s Impact In Depth: Victims and Conflict-Affected Communities
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