Work on the Accounts of the Conflict digital archive is reaching an advanced stage with the project team busy preparing and adding content to the archive, repository and website. The seminar series, where issues around dealing with the past, storytelling and archiving were explored saw large numbers of attendees and lively discussions taking place. We hope to build on that interest and engagement with a number of events in the coming months. In October, Accounts of the Conflict will host a number of “Roadshows” where the team will showcase the project in venues throughout the island of Ireland.
Norman Duncan (Apartheid Archive, University of Pretoria) will speak on the “Practical Development and Implementation of a Complex Archive”.
Vesna Terselic (DOCUMENTA, Croatia) will talk about the “Role of Personal Memories in Peacebuilding”.
We will host the Accounts of the Conflict International Conference in Belfast on 17-18 November. The conference, entitled “Digitally Archiving Stories for Peacebuilding”, will explore the role of digital archives of personal narrative, oral histories or testimonies in societies emerging from conflict. The event is free and open to all who wish to attend, although pre-registration is essential. Please complete the online registration form (available here) if you wish to attend.
The conference will focus on three key themes, which will be explored through keynote lectures by leading international experts, then further considered in smaller parallel sessions. (See here for an outline conference programme). These smaller sessions will allow conference attendees to delve into the relevant issues in more depth. The three themes to be explored are
- Ethical considerations in archiving and disseminating personal accounts.
- The practical development and implementation of archives.
- Dissemination and outreach of oral histories for peacebuilding and social change.
Particia Valdez (founding member Memoria Albierta, Argentina) will speak on the Ethical Challenges of Establishing an Oral Archive”
Mary Marshall Clark (Columbia Centre for Oral History Research) will be of the international keynote speakers at the conference.
In addition to the keynote and parallel sessions, there will be a chance for participants to view a showcase of local story collecting projects and an exhibition of “Textile Accounts of the Conflict”. The Accounts of the Conflict Archive and Repository will also be launched at the conference. A more detailed version of the conference programme, with further information on the issues to be addressed in the parallel sessions, will be published soon.
The conference will take place at the Holiday Inn, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast. For details on travel, accommodation and registration see the conference website https://accounts.ulster.ac.uk/accounts/conference/.
You can find the outline programme and information about the international speakers on the website. We look forward to seeing you in November.
- Closing Remarks - 3rd December 2014
- Conference: 17-18 November 2014 - 14th November 2014
- Conference: Less Than a Week to Go - 13th November 2014
