SovLab - Georgian effort towards rethinking the past

8/3/2019 SovLab - Georgian effort towards rethinking the past

1/15

Georgian effort

towards rethinking

the soviet past


2/15

Today in Georgia

Organization & Idea behind

activities

plans


3/15

Georgia wipes away its red past

If I saw Soviet symbols in someother country, Id conclude that thegovernment of that country hadnothing against the Soviet regime. MP of Georgia

Theres no need for the youngergeneration, or old people whosuffered in the war, or indeed all of Georgia, to have to look at imagesthat symbolize their commonsuffering. MP of Georgia

State attitude reflected

in a law

Liberty Charter

Today in Georgia


4/15

Today in Georgia

As a result of presidential decree in April, 2010 a statecommission was formed to work on Georgian-Russianrelationship studies including soviet past.

A group of historians were involved in the process. The commission came up with a final report.


5/15

Today in Georgia

The Museum of Occupation Of Georgia - featuresseveral thousand exhibits, including archive documents, photoand video materials, the protocols of dissidents'interrogations, orders for people to be shot or sent into exile,the personal files of victims of repression, objects from prisoncells, as well as files from the KGB and Communist Party

archives. Described as pure nationalistic propaganda . Space used as a victimization and over through of all the

responsibilities on the red army and the communist party.


6/15

Founded in 2010.

Worked on various projects already.

Been featured in various media sources.

Working on fund raising for one of the big programs.

Work hard on social networks to reach out.

More: www.sovlab.ge
http://www.sovlab.ge/http://www.sovlab.ge/


7/15

Idea - VISION

The vision of Soviet Past Research Laboratory isa democratic and liberal values-based intelligentsociety, which is capable of withstanding modernchallenges and has flexible and adequate attitude tochanges; a society, whose primary value is each

persons freedom and dignity , where well-informed citizens consciously and actively participate inthe social life of the country.


8/15

Idea - MISSION

The mission of Soviet Past Research Laboratory is to provide assistance in studying the Soviettotalitarian past and in awareness of political, legal andmoral responsibility for the Soviet legacy. The aim of the

organization is to create thought-provoking anddebatable environment to assist in thedemocratic development.


9/15

Sov LAB

ResearchProgram

EducationalProgram

Public

Archive

ArtProgram


10/15

Activities Red Terror Topography

The first project; Bringing together stories

related to mass terror intwo old parts of Tbilisi;

Encourage citizens to find

out more about the city; New educational resource

for the high-school pupilsand universities as well as

adults;


11/15

Activities Calendar 2011

Extension of the RedTerror Topography project;

Attractive and simple wayof story-telling;

12 months and 12 linkedstories showing the

formation and shaping of the attitude in the societytowards certain people.Transforming from friendto foe.

www.Scribd.com/sovlab
http://www.scribd.com/sovlabhttp://www.scribd.com/sovlabhttp://www.scribd.com/sovlabhttp://www.scribd.com/sovlabhttp://www.scribd.com/sovlabhttp://www.scribd.com/sovlab


12/15

Activities Regional Platform: Rethinking the Soviet Past

The discussion space for

the core issues related tothe soviet past of Georgia; Capturing the stories of

the victims of sovietrepressions or their familymembers using oralstories;

Using the video materialsfor further research andeducational purporses.


13/15

Activities Soviet Tbilisi

The collection of essays onthe stories from the Red

Terror Topography tour; Use of archive material,

press, oral stories, memoriesand several famous Georgianwriters to transform tour into

more convenient educationalresource; The virtual tour Soviet

Tbilisi representing thesoviet history and important

spaces and buildings relatedto the capital of Georgia.


14/15

Activities Public Archive

A valuable and informalsource of soviet history;

The visual materialscollected from familyalbums and archives;

Alternative source for

researchers and peopleinterested in the soviethistory;

The unique material thatare in danger of beingdestroyed.


15/15

Plans

Increasing the coverage of SovLab workactivities and projects; Make the Public Archive online and open;

Launch an interactive online map of Tbilisi; Continue capturing of stories from the

soviet history of Georgia

SovLab - Georgian effort towards rethinking the past

Documents

Transcript of SovLab - Georgian effort towards rethinking the past