history, memory and dialogue in south-east · pdf filebalkans-history, memory and dialogue in...

F I N A L R E P O R T O F T H E M E E T I N G

Imagining the Balkans History, Memory and Dialogue

in South-East Europe

Ljubljana, Slovenia, 8-9 March 2012

A m e e t i n g o r g a n i z e d w i t h i n t h e i n i t i a t i v e

International Experts Meeting I M A G I N I N G T H E B A L K A N S . H I S T O R Y , M E M O R Y A N D D I A L O G U E I N S O U T H - E A S T

E U R O P E Ljubljana, Slovenia, 8-9 March 2012 (page 2)

INTRODUCTION

This report presents the results of the discussions held during the meeting “Imagining the

Balkans-History, Memory and Dialogue in South East Europe”, organized by the UNESCO

Venice Office and the National Museum of Slovenia, in cooperation with the Slovenian Ministry

of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, and the Slovenian National Commission for

UNESCO, in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on 8-9 March 2012.

The conference comprised museum directors and experts from Albania, Bosnia and

Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, The

former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Turkey.

Participated also senior representatives from European museums (German Historical Museum

in Berlin, Germany), professional organizations (ICOM/International Committee for Exhibitions

and Exchange; ICOM/International

Association of Museums of History;

EUROCLIO-European Association of

History Educators) and academic networks

of research (Eunamus/European National

Museums research project).

This international meeting was organized

as a follow-up to the previous encounters

organized in Thessaloniki (“National

History Museums in Southeast Europe:

learning history, building shared

memories”, Thessaloniki, Greece, 18-19

October 2010), Berlin (“Best practices in

museum management: dealing with

difficult heritage, educating on history”, Berlin, Germany, 27-28 January 2011), and Turin

(“History, memory and dialogue in South-East Europe: Exploring the identity of Nations”,

October 5-6th, Turin, Italy).

The objective of the meeting was to discuss, on the basis of the approved Turin report, concrete

plans and ideas for the structuring and organization of the regional project for a travelling

exhibit, tentatively entitled “Imagining the Balkans”.

This proposed travelling exhibit, as underlined by Mr Anthony Krause, representative of the

UNESCO Venice Office, should be considered as a flagship regional project of the UNESCO



“Culture: a Bridge to development” initiative, launched in October 2011 by the Director-General

of UNESCO, Mrs Irina Bokova.

The representative of the Slovenian Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, Mrs

Špela Spanžel, underlined the importance of the “Culture: a bridge to development” initiative for

the SEE region, and emphasized the need, though this regional exhibit, to build shared and

common memories.

COMMON APPROACHES

Following the meeting held in Turin, in October 2011, and on the basis of the Final Report which

was issued thereafter, defining goals and strategies for the future, each participant prepared

and presented during the meeting an indicative selection of 10 items from his museum

collections or from other accessible collections.

As agreed in Turin, these proposals, together with all their relevant information and meta-data,

including their historical relevance and repercussions on the project subject, sought to

correspond to the three major topics retained : Living in the Balkans ; Educating in the Balkans ;

Representing the Balkans (Heroes, celebrations,

symbols, maps, etc ; Narrating /tales, writings,

literature, history, etc).

Also, as agreed in Turin, the chronological frame

retained was the “long 19th century”, i.e. the period

from the French Revolution of 1789 up to World

War I (or even later if necessary), which saw the

emergence of National States out of the

dissolution of the Ottoman and Habsburg

Empires.

The first day of the meeting was devoted to the

presentation by each participant of his selection of

objects, with an explanation of their relevance to the project and of their importance as such in

national or regional terms. With the interventions of the coordinators of the meeting, Anthony

Krause, Philippos Mazarakis-Ainian, Barbara Ravnik and Ana Stolic, a tentative thematic

classification of them was offered, in order to help structure the open discussion which followed.

Through the presentations, it appeared that diverse approaches had been chosen by each

participant, concerning the types of objects, the themes selected, the documentation and



information provided about them. Nevertheless, the discussions revealed two main positive

points:

Firstly, most proposals revealed a common attitude favouring open discussion and criticism of

their own and the other’s national views on the subject. This was a major achievement, given

the sometimes difficult diverging views

about historic events in the region.

Secondly, it appeared that despite

differences of approach, there was a

consensus amongst most participants

about the general subject-matters that

should be tackled within the frame of the

general themes that had been defined in

the Turin Final Report. Hence,

participants agreed to focus on some key

processes and experiences, common

features, historical connections and

interactions, and not to encompass the

whole corpus of parallel national histories.

The interventions of the project partners (Mrs Hauglustaine-Robert, Chairperson ICEE/ICOM;

Mr Peter Aronsson, Linkopings University/EUNAMUS project coordinator; Mrs Kretzschmar,

German Historical Museum; and Mr Even-Zohar, EUROCLIO) provided valuable

methodological, conceptual, thematical and also logistical inputs to the discussions. All partners

agreed that these participants should be encouraged to continue playing an active role within

the project, offering their extensive experience as guidance.

Finally, it was emphasized again that youth should be a priority target group of the exhibit, to

enhance dialogue, exchange and mutual understanding in the SEE region.

Location

Barbara Ravnik, Director of the National Museum of Slovenia, presented 2 options for the

location of the inauguration of the exhibit: the temporary exhibit spaces in the “new” building (2

separate rooms + entrance hall, approx 300 sqm) and in the “old” building (approx 400 sqm) of

the Museum. Participants visited both spaces. Barbara Ravnik recommended using the facilities

of the “old” building, better known to visitors.



The exhibition draft story

After extensive discussions and checking against the available objects proposed by each

participant, the coordinators proposed the sketch of an exhibition plan, in the form of “thematic

islands”, on the model of the exhibit visited in Turin, “Fare Gli Italiani/Making the Italians”. This

sketch was presented to the group on the second day of the meeting, for further comments and

suggestions.

Introduction: A coffee shop

Possibility of presenting two “scenarios” facing each other: The oriental, Ottoman coffee table

versus the occidental, Habsburg, one, from collections provided mainly from the Turkish and

Slovenian museums respectively. The visitor will walk among the two in order to enter and exit

the main exhibit, perhaps having the possibility to sit and rest or even taste coffee.



The development of coffee culture and its spreading into the rising middle classes in the 19th c.

is seen as an important indicator of the changes in society during that period (enhancement of

public space, democratisation of time and space, new models of sociability and conviviality).

The introduction will also contain a short description of the aims and scope of the exhibition.

Ch.1 Living in the old world South East Europe, with the advent of western enlightenment

and modern national ideas from the late 18th century onwards, went through tremendous

changes. The traditional social and cultural features were increasingly mingled with more

modern ones. The remains of this “old world”, gradually eroding and vanishing, were still

marked by many commonalities in the ways of living among the diverse people and groups

coexisting in the region. This first sequence seeks to depict images, representations and

perceptions of this “old world”, sometimes seen as immanent and immovable, or doomed to

disappear.

Ch. 2 Travelling, communicating The development of trade, technologies and modern

transport/communication systems put the traditional segments of society in closer contact with

one another and enabled them to get wind of different situations existing outside of the region.

The diffusion of technology was also a product of this situation. People were able to travel,

exchange, communicate (trade, transport, printing, but also birth of modern photography and

cinematography) and also compare themselves and their situation, to others.

Ch.3 A new social order: the rise of the middle classes The progressive enrichment of

those parts of society which were able to grasp the new international developments in the

economy, led to the formation of boisterous “middle classes”: mostly urban populations of

traders and investors in trade, petty industrialists, artisans of new products etc. New divisions

appeared together with new social values.

Ch.4 Creating and diffusing knowledge The pursuit of learning and diffusion of knowledge

(schools, universities) was much enhanced during this period. Social, political, cultural traditions

were questioned or updated. Religious learning was coupled – sometimes antagonized – by

secular ideas. The research for identity led to a quest for roots into the past. Different cultural-

historical groups started becoming prominent and questioning the traditional organization of

society.

Ch.5 Mapping Discovering, defining and delineating on maps one’s territory became a very

important goal for internal purposes, serving also to project the image of the Balkans “in the

eyes of the others”. Geography, history, political ideology, were all coupled to the quest of one’s

“heartland”, which would provide practical but also symbolic separation, while representing

evolving and changing frontiers. Each nation strived to extend and legitimise its borders

wherever it had an interest, based upon population, ideology and economy.



Ch.6 Using history History has played a crucial role in the region in defining national identity,

mobilizing people and shaping their destinies. In order to define a specific identity, each group

was led to persistent efforts to investigate its past, to link it to its present and to provide

explanations for the group’s specificity. Modern nationalisms therefore often used older ethnic

sensibilities, images, symbols and myths, added new meanings to them, and put them in new

mental frameworks. This also served to stake new ideological and territorial claims.

Ch.7 Heroes and Antiheroes Historical events, battles, and personalities have often been

molded into the defining myths of epical heroes/antiheroes. Persons linked with - or responsible

for - exceptional events, were elevated to a heroic status, or relegated to the status of

internal/external enemy (whether real or imaginary), depending upon the perception of their

influence upon a teleological reading of history.

Ch.8 Public celebrations Public celebrations have always been a means to consolidate the

cohesion of a group and to provide some visible structuring of its form and of its aims. The new

society needed to create a number of events, useful as rallies of national consciousness:

anniversaries of events, sports, culture or trade meetings, etc. The celebrations were vested

with symbolic meanings, sometimes provided spontaneously, sometimes after deliberate

ideological effort.

Ch.9 Images of the Nation National groups related themselves to specific iconic images and

symbols, which were disseminated in every possible occasion and became so familiar as to be

considered essential for the group’s sense of self. Thus, every citizen sharing the new bonds of

society was also a vector of its specific image. The images of the nation were thought of as

unique and exclusive.

Conclusion: Whose is this song?

Having followed this path of national restructuring of society, the people of South East Europe

have found themselves separated by sharp borders – territorial borders but also ideological,

language, affiliation borders. They are still surprised nevertheless, when in contact, to find so

many cultural elements shared in common.

So, whose is this song? Don’t we after all share a common past, common traditions, common

traits of character, a common culture? Having become overwhelmed by our differences, we

have forgotten our closeness.

Possibility of showing extracts from the short Slovenian animation film “Chicory 'n' Coffee”

(Dusan Kastelic, 2009); and Bulgarian documentary “Whose is this song?” (Adela Peeva, 2003):

Serbs, Greeks, Turks, Bulgarians, Bosnians, Macedonians can dispute in a divisive way the

ownership over the very same popular song having different lyrics in each country, but the



region shares a common legacy in terms of lifestyles, and music can also unite collective

memories and personal stories.

Time for a coffee break, to talk about us all and about who we really are…

The exhibition ends back at its beginning: the introductory coffee table serves also as a

conclusion.

Preparation of the exhibit:

Exhibition to be inaugurated by June 2013 at the National Museum of Slovenia, in

Ljubljana. Then, it will travel (time span of possibly even 3 years) and be presented in

several venues, on a voluntary basis, hopefully at each participant museum’s premises.

It is calculated that for an exhibition space of approx 300-400 m2, the number of items

needed is approx 150. Items include original objects, copies and replicas, information

desks and other specific points of

interest within the exhibition.

It is calculated that the loan

procedure will have to be initiated 8

months prior to the inauguration, and

the final texts and digital

documentation for any digital

applications will have to be provided

at least 6 months prior to the

inauguration.

A scenographer and a graphic

designer will be employed in order to

provide a high quality design and a uniformity of presentation in all the venues the

exhibition will travel to. Scenographic details can be adapted, changed or added

according to the specific needs of each venue, but not the main concept of design.

The cost will be shared by all partners. There will be an effort by UNESCO, ICOM and all

partner museums to raise and mobilize funds.



ADVISORY BOARD

The help of renowned historians of South

East European history will be sought, once

the general concept and storyline of the

exhibition is prepared, in order to provide

with feedback and corrections, and also

participate in proofreading and

harmonization of texts. 2 names are

proposed for consideration: Prof Maria

Todorova (already contact by A. Krause,

UNESCO), and Marc Mazower.

PUBLICATION, COMMUNICATION, EDUCATION

The exhibition should be accompanied by a small exhibit booklet containing the main

texts and some images/views/objects. This booklet will be prepared in English and its

template will be provided to each host country, for translation in national language.

A cultural program surrounding the exhibition will be organized at each venue

(educational programs, conferences, guided tours, film projections, etc)

STRUCTURE OF THE EXHIBIT

The structure of the exhibition will enable it to work both in a “guided tour” and in a

“random navigation” setup. Depending upon the spatial organization of each venue, the

visitor will be able either to read a continuous story, or to jump from one chapter to the

other according to preference.

There is agreement that the story and presentation will need to be appealing to young

visitors. It needs to address current issues and in a modern way, including technological

applications with which young visitors are experienced.



The subject matter of the exhibition will provide multiple levels of approach. We will

present both official state -and elite- developments and those related to ordinary people.

Political and social history will be coupled. It has been suggested that the “coffee table”

subject be used as a symbolic junction of these. We will try to offer multi-layered

narratives, providing interpretation in a neutral – non-

partisan – way.

The exhibition needs to accommodate the common

elements of different experiences from a number of

people and states, which have also happened at

vastly diverging dates. The exhibit will focus upon the

general socio-political and cultural evolutions which

are common to the region. The presentation of items

will be based upon themes (« thematic islands »), not

upon dates, regions or dates. However, names and

dates (« time-line ») will be mentioned and integrated

when necessary for the comprehension of the

information conveyed through the items. A general

chronological overview can be offered at the

beginning of the exhibition, to serve as a backdrop of

general information about events affecting the whole

region.

There will be an effort to prepare a unified multimedia historical map of the region of SE

Europe, which will offer a general overview of the changes in political geography during

the period under consideration (similar to the one presented by the Deutches

Historisches Museum, in Berlin). Such an application could complement the afore-

mentioned “time-line” and remain independent from the specific themes. It would be

placed in a prominent, central part of the exhibition space.

SELECTION OF OBJECTS

There is need to secure a good balance among the types of items which will be

presented. There is need for a selection of 3D artifacts, 2D objects, films and moving

images, multimedia applications etc.

The items will not be used in order to illustrate a written story. The aim is to have the

items tell the story, while texts will provide the necessary links and further information.



The text will serve the items, not vice-versa. The narrative frame will nevertheless be

constructed in a way as to provide strong

points of interest.

The exhibition will not contain separate

“islands” devoted to each participant

museum or nation. The items and

information provided by each will be

mixed in a balanced way in order to relate

a specific, unified story.

Each participant will offer information for

the objects he has selected and for any

other item he wishes or is asked to

discuss. It is not expected – nor even

desirable – that all participants tackle all themes of the exhibition, and specific national

cases, apart from the objects themselves, will only be mentioned when they offer

outstanding examples or particular exceptions to the phenomena presented.

Views have been expressed that some of the 9 chapters proposed should be merged

with others, to simplify and focus the scope of the exhibit. This will be finalized during the

next meeting, in relations to the final numbers of items available for each, in order to

gain a balance in the weight of each chapter.

The 10 objects presented by each partner in the Ljubljana meeting, were aimed at

providing the group with a sufficient quantity of items and themes to discuss in the

preliminary thematic approach. The number was chosen as an average calculation of

the objects needed for the exhibition. Effort will be made to have an equal presentation

of each museum’s objects, but each participant is free to propose more objects, to limit

himself to less, or even to replace his whole set of items with new ones, depending upon

the particular interest of the objects within the agreed concept, the availability of his

collections, of his working time capabilities, etc.

Efforts will be made to present accompanying audio-multimedia and cinematographic

archives (ex: film news from national film archives; film selection by Manaki Brothers;

film “Whose is this song”, Adela Peeva; Opera « Balkanska Carica »/ « The Balkan

Empress »).



ACTIONS TO BE COMPLETED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

Report of meeting and template of the data sheet for each object, according to the

specifications discussed, to be finalised and shared with the whole group. Deadline: 1st

week of April.

List of 10 objects and completion of data sheet: Each participant to amend,

complete, etc, his list of proposed objects, following the experience of the first

presentation in Ljubljana and of the subject-matters he feels need more visibility. Each

participant needs then to complete all

necessary information on the data

sheet, making sure to explain how

each object relates to the general

themes of the exhibit, and makes

sense to everyone. Deadline: 30 April.

Completion of preliminary texts: on

the basis of the items selection and

accompanying texts provided, the

coordinators will combine and

harmonize the presentation, to

facilitate the discussions in Bucharest.

Deadline: 30 May

Internet Platform: National Museum of Slovenia to create for the group a share point,

drop-box or other application on the internet, to which each participant will then have

access in order to directly input his contributions (objects, data, opinions, etc) and view

those of the others.

NEXT MEETING (BUCHAREST, ROMANIA, 20-21 JUNE 2012)

The next meeting has been agreed to take place on 20-21 June, 2012. In agreement

with Barbara Ravnik, and further to the proposal by Ernest Oberlander-Tarnoveanu,

Director-General of the National History Museum of Romania, the meeting will take at

the National History Museum in Bucharest, Romania. This will be a renewed

opportunity to visit another history museum of the region. The ultimate working meeting

will take place again in Ljubljana, at a date to be discussed later, where the exhibit will

be inaugurated.



ISSUES TO BE DISCUSSED AND AGREED DURING THE MEETING OF JUNE 2012

All participants will sign a document ascertaining each one’s dedication to the project

(contract or letter of commitment), and their willingness to provide objects and

documentation for the whole duration of the project. In cases where specific objects

cannot be lent for the whole duration, the possibility of replacing them with others will be

provided.

The final selection of objects will be

made. Apart from the thematic issues

involved, it has been noted that there is

need to increase the number of 3D

objects. The selection will have to take

into account the necessity of travel.

The cost of travel and the fragility of

the objects will be calculated when

making the selection.

The concept and scenario (storyline) of

the exhibition will be finalized. Main

texts to be presented for discussion.

The texts will be discussed in Bucharest, then again reviewed for approval by each

participant, and further harmonized with the help of the external historian selected. Each

participant museum will then be responsible for translation into national language.

The approximate cost of the project will have to be determined, as well as the way this

cost will be shared by the participants.

A final binding timetable will be established for the preparation of the project, with a view

to the inauguration in June 2013 in Ljubljana.

A binding organizational structure of the project will also be decided, providing adequate

leadership and a specific division of duties.

Philippos Mazarakis-Ainian

Curator, National Historical Museum of Greece

President of the International Association of Museums of History

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